Wisdom Knows a Secret

It’s a typical morning.

C-Pap mask off.✔ Contoured pillows under legs removed.✔  Ice packs under elbows moved.✔  Foam boots (to prevent pressure sores) pulled off.✔  Pulled from bed onto power chair.✔ Teeth brushed.✔ Face washed.✔ Shaved. ✔ Dressed. ✔ (All done for you, not by you) ✔ Picked up and put on portable commode.✔ Back on chair.✔ Help eating breakfast.✔

And so the day begins.

My question to Wyndham:  So, how are you today?

His answer, each day: Good, I’m good.

And he means it. He is grateful for this day (as am I).  I then put his shirt on him (almost always a “Life is Good” T-shirt because they are comfortable, easy to get on and off, and have a good message). Today’s shirt reads, “Life Is Not Easy. Life Is Not Perfect. Life is Good.” That works. ✔ 

We share thoughts, usually some laughter, and a prayer. A prayer for “daily bread.” In that prayer we share a secret.

Wyndham has a secret.

Wisdom knows the secret.

The secret is this:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.  (Philippians 4:12-13, emphasis added)

This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people.
For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. (Colossians 1:26-27 NLT, emphasis added)

Christ in you (and me). This is the secret—a secret that envelops our very beings. A secret that proves true day after day.

However, since these verses have been read for nearly 2,000 years by countless people it’s really no secret. Unless Christ doesn’t live in you. Then true joy, abiding peace, and solid hope seem unattainable…a secret only longed for.

This secret remains a mystery of sorts. How else could Wyndham be “good?”  How can we be deeply happy, despite a really tough situation?

It’s because of the secret.

“Christ in us” is unable to be physically seen or touched. It’s a secret to the physical 3-dimensional world in which we live. None the less, it’s real.  When we have Christ in us, the secret is revealed.

What does it mean to have Christ in us? It means we have the same power in us that raised Jesus from the dead. Do we hope for a miracle? Absolutely. But have we both already overcome death through Christ in us? The answer is a resounding “yes.”

This secret means that God pours his love into our hearts through his Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). We can feel loved, because we are. We can give love, because God keeps pouring it into our hearts. It doesn’t run out even if we are tired, or our bodies don’t work.

I have no other explanation as to why we can approach each day with joy, gratitude, and hope. And these are realities, not wishful thoughts.

The secret of Christ in us means that no matter the circumstances, we can have a deep joy,  an abiding peace that doesn’t make sense, and a hope that can’t be crushed.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

God’s Spirit IS Christ in me. In us. Meditate on this. All the power of Christ. All the love of Christ. All the peace of Christ. The whole purpose of Christ—really and truly living inside of me—the part of me that can’t be touched but is eternal. The soul.

And this is wisdom’s secret.

Wisdom Is “Whataburger”

 By Sheridan Wright

I know that this tittle sounds weird…but bear with me. I have enjoyed reading “Wednesday Wisdom with Wyndham” and hearing others recount how Wyndham, in God’s wisdom, has had an impact on their lives. My reaction is always the same: no surprise. I smile to myself and think, “Yep, that’s Wyndham!”

Back to “Whataburger.” I entered the University of Florida as a freshman in the Fall of 1972. Wyndham was the Resident Advisor on my dorm floor. As was his custom, he invited me to the “soul talk” (small group Bible discussion) in his room on Monday nights.

You know how some people enter college with lofty goals of high achievement and a focused dedication on accomplishing these goals?….Well, I was NOT one of those people. I had a passion for foolishness, and it seemed to come to me with gift-like ease. Yet the “soul talk” intrigued me. Initially I went, not because I was searching, but because of Wyndham’s sincerity of faith—he had neither the self-righteousness nor weirdness that I had witnessed in many others with devout belief. During the next 2 months, I developed a love/hate relationship with the ”soul talk”: I loved the practicality and relevance of the Bible, but I hated the way it unnerved me. The unnerving won out, and I quit going. Two months later, after a night of “drinkin’ & druggin’”—in an act of sheer stupidity—I fell 3 stories off a dormitory roof.

Because I had partially separated my hip in the fall, my mobility was restricted, and I was limited to my dorm room for a few days of recovery.

A knock sounds at my door—in walks Wyndham. Now keep in mind that by this point in time, I had not been to “soul talk” in a couple of months; I was plunging headlong in the OPPOSITE direction of EVERYTHING Wyndham had tried to get me to understand. I did not want to know what the Bible said (in fact I was trying to forget what I had already learned); and to top it all off, my best thinking had led me to a dorm room convalescence from a near fatal incident.

If ever there was a prime time for a sarcastic remark like “Attaboy Einstein, you proud of yourself?”—this was it. INSTEAD, Wyndham said, “Sheridan, I’m going to Whataburger, can I bring something back for you?” At first sound this may seem so trivial—an insignificant tidbit of information. Yet, if that is so, then let me pose this question: Why do I remember it 44 years later as if it were yesterday? I knew I was a fool—I had proved it scientifically. I was in the cross-hairs of ridicule and condemnation. I was running from God. I was running from Wyndham. I was running from anyone that had anything to do with God or Wyndham. And yet, what did I get? An act of service…an act of grace.

To me, wisdom is not so much the accumulation of knowledge, it is the RIGHT USE of the knowledge you have. Wyndham knew Jesus, he knew God’s Word, and he knew his fellow man. To be sure—there are times when you have to confront, times when you have to forthrightly speak the truth. Wyndham does not shy away from that. Yet in that dorm room, all of his knowledge of Jesus, God’s Word, and human beings caused him to give this guilty soul an act of grace. In doing this, he gave me a foretaste of a Biblical truth that one day would define my life: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this—-while we were STILL sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Is it any wonder that six months later when I came to my senses and wanted to get my life right with God I would want to find Wyndham? At that time I was living off campus and did not know where he was. I prayed that God would allow me to find him. The very next day I ran into him right in the middle of a campus of 24,000 students. Within a week I was baptized into Christ—on January 13, 1974.

I suppose that the nutritional merit of Whataburger is a matter of debate. I can neither affirm nor deny it. But one thing I do not doubt: to have the wisdom of Christ is to reach out to individuals with genuine concern and to say or do the RIGHT thing at the RIGHT time. Wyndham did that. Wyndham taught me that. Wyndham is that.

Thank you my brother and my friend for showing me the Way. Thank you for that “Whataburger mission of mercy” that just confirmed what I had witnessed my freshman year in Jennings Hall—you REALLY believe, you REALLY follow Jesus, you REALLY care about the glory of God and the salvation of people. I love you and I gratefully owe you a debt of love….my wife, my children, and my grandchildren owe you a debt of love. 

If I let my imagination go, I picture all of us at the judgement giving an account of our lives. For many of us, the name Wyndham Shaw would come up in that account. “He led me to you…”, “he helped my marriage, my parenting…”, “he cared enough to rebuke…”, “he shepherded…,” “he brought me a burger”……

As we continue, the Lord smiles, “Yep, that’s Wyndham—-Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Wisdom Makes People Feel Special

By Micah Gonet

This week’s post is by our grandson, Micah, who is 8 years old. He asked if he could write a “Wednesday Wisdom” about his Papa. Wyndham loves deeply…such that people want to express how much they feel loved. Thank you Micah. We love you. 

We’re putting a lot of effort and planning to go see Papa in Boston these days.  Because he can’t walk, he can’t come down to see us in Connecticut, so we go up there. It probably easy for him to feel like, “Hey guys, I can’t walk!  Can you help me?”’  and to just be selfish.  But instead he decides to think about us and not himself.  For example, I was outside in his yard the other day playing ball with my cousin Caleb. Mom called me up to the porch where Papa was watching us play.

I said, “Man!” cause I didn’t want to stop playing. But I listened to my Mom and went up anyway.  Then Papa gave every cousin a 20 dollar bill!

Here is another reason Papa makes me feel great: Once when everybody went out to eat at a restaurant, I stayed with Papa at his house. I wanted to watch a football show.  He wanted to watch a show about fishing. He watched the football show with me even though he didn’t want to. That’s how he shows how much he cares about me.

About a year ago, when I had a baseball game on the weekend, Papa came down to Connecticut and stayed in a hotel just so he could see me play even though it is hard for him to even get into the hotel. That also shows how much he loves me and cares for me.  After the game, he gave me a big hug and kiss. 

Back to the story about the money: When he gave me that 20 dollar bill, it made me feel so good.  But giving to everyone made Papa feel so good, and that shows how amazing he is. Although it’s hard, he pulls through and never gives up. Even though he can’t walk he still sticks with Jesus and always does the right thing.  Even though he can’t do much we still can do a lot with him.

He reminds me of the scripture in Philippians 2, verse 3: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.  That is exactly what Papa does. 

And I love watching the Red Sox with him.

I love you, Papa.

Your Buddy,

Micah

Wisdom Holds to God’s Hand

Today as I ran errands I noticed several couples walking hand in hand. I reminisced and felt a little sad. I miss this. Walking together is certainly not possible. Hand holding is not easy, as Wyndham’s hands are tender to the touch and quite shaky.  Even as I took this picture I heard, “ouch.” 

Thankfully, we both have a strong, loving hand to hold. Wyndham knows the source of true strength. Wisdom holds to God’s hand.

I’m reminded of a well-loved song beginning with the words,

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

I need the strength and security of God’s unchanging hand. Every day I need to grasp that hand. While it’s not a physical hand, the spiritual effect of his presence with me is real for both of us.  It’s not a “nice thought” to hold to God’s hand. It’s a necessity! His hand sustains me. I’m humbled that he stoops down to feel with me and make me something I can’t be without him—as he holds on to me!

  You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great (Psalm 18:35).

The following thoughts are taken from a chapter in my book, “Every Day is a New Chance.”  I share it in hopes that the thoughts (near the end) on Psalm 23 encourage you as much as they do me.

*************************************************************************************************

My friend: We’re going down the street. Hold onto Grammie’s hand.

My friend’s grandson: Gwammy, I’ll hold my own hand!!

(He then clasped his hands together.)

I had to laugh when I heard this exchange. Children often blatantly do the same things we do—only we are more subtle. We even know how to explain our actions in ways that make them sound quite noble. Such as:

God: You’re going through life. It can be tough. Follow me; hold onto my hand.

Me: I’ll hold my own hand. Thank you, but I don’t want to trouble you. (See how polite that sounds while telling God no?)

Why in the world would I think holding my own hand—depending on myself to direct my steps through life—would turn out well? I’m extremely shortsighted compared to God. He sees the big picture. I can only see a part.

Holding to God’s hand can at times feel childish, too restrictive for our exploration, or hurtful to our pride. Shouldn’t I be able to navigate my life on my own? Why should I need someone to guide me? After all, who can I trust but myself? These thoughts and questions can haunt the back roads of our hearts and minds, causing us to want to “hold our own hand.”

How do we know when we are trying to hold our own hand instead of God’s?  Simply put, when we rely on ourselves and our own understanding. This can be seen when we fail to spend time in God’s word, seeking wisdom and instruction for our daily lives. When we fail to pray for daily wisdom and guidance. When we don’t live the lifestyle Jesus lived and calls us to live.

Certainly, if we hold to his hand we will follow him, and thus will be serving others. We will be teaching his truths. Frankly, holding to God’s hand doesn’t mean that I will be safe from pitfalls, tragedies, and suffering. These, my friends, are all along the landscape of the world in which we live. God did not create it this way; man distorted it this way.

Holding to God’s hand means we have solid footing when we encounter these challenges. It means we can feel his strength, comfort, and guidance. God has prepared something much better for us, but we still have to walk through this life.  As time passes, I see and experience more of the challenges and suffering in life. However, I can’t imagine traveling this road without my faith—without holding to God’s hand. Holding to his hand, I feel free. I am secure. I am hopeful. I know where I’m ultimately headed. I’m full of peace and joy even amid pain, challenges, and suffering. Many of us are familiar with this beautiful passage of Scripture:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,  he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness  for his name’s sake. Even though I walk  through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me your rod and your staff,  they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1–4)

For years I pictured this verse in a way that was not reality for the desert shepherds of David’s time. I envisioned God taking me to rest in plush, green, rolling hills. I recently learned that the “green pastures” familiar to the writer’s landscape were actually far different from what I had seen in my mind’s eye. They were bits of grass scattered among the rocks of the barren desert hillsides, where condensation from the sea winds allowed sprigs of grass to grow.  As the sheep followed their shepherd, he would lead them through these hillside “green pastures.”

The grass on the hillsides was just enough for their sustenance for the day.

The sheep had to follow the shepherd each day to have enough green pasture for their survival. Sheep left on their own would wander, searching for grass, and eventually die. Staying close to the shepherd was a matter of life and death.  It’s really no different for me. If I wander from my shepherd, holding my own hand, I’ll end up spiritually starving. However tempting it is to rely on myself, I can never take myself to heaven. I can never produce the fruits of God’s Spirit in my life without them flowing from him.

May we have the wisdom to hold to God’s strong and loving hand.

Wisdom and Friendship

By Jack Frederick

It’s late, just after midnight. I’m sleepy, but I remember how I spent the day…I visited my old friend Wyndham, and his lovely wife, Jeanie. 

Wyndham has a few wrinkles on his brow, many of them put there by his friendship with me. I remember the times I hurt or disappointed him, and the times I made him laugh, the fish we caught together, the children we raised together, the poor we fed together, the disciples we made together, the times we cried over lost sleep and going out to find sheep who wandered. As I was about to lay down tonight I remembered the words of an eighteenth century hymn…

How sweet, how heav’nly is the sight,
When those that love the Lord
In one another’s peace delight,
And thus fulfill His Word.

The waterworks began to flow, unabated. I had held it together during our visit today, though my voice cracked here and there. We remembered stories together. I told him I kinda avoided the passage in Romans 16:16 where Paul told us to give one another a holy kiss, but I kissed him on his slightly balding head. I held his hand. I hugged him more than usual. I miss him. His physical health is waning; mine, too, but his change is more dramatic due to a difficult neurological disorder which robs his strength but not his amazing wisdom and insight. I have known brilliant men & women, lots of successful people, scholars and the like…but I’ve never known a man or woman so gifted in wisdom. The difference was always magnified by my inherent lack of wisdom; I always blamed it on growing up without a father to teach me, I felt like I was always ten years behind my age in wisdom while Wyndham was maybe 20+ years advanced. God gave me gifts, too, I was smart in a few things, I had the whole rocket scientist thing going on and I had passion & zeal, but wisdom would add depth I had never known.

James says of God, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). That’s the way it was with Wyndham, I felt he was willing to be my friend, willing to teach me how to gain wisdom and “show me how” to apply this in life, yet he never made fun of me for what I lacked. And Wyndham was really lame when it came to things like mechanical stuff, working on cars; I would fix things for him just to get to spend time with him. He taught me, and brought out the gifts God had given me, helped me see these and use them.

Wyndham (& Jeanie) taught me (us) so much about working in the ministry, how to lead spiritually in churches and in our family. I was like Peter with Jesus, I wanted to learn but I did some dumb things; he was gracious, he rebuked me when I needed it, but I learned by walking with him. We were discipleship partners and friends. Our wives and children were close friends. Last year during our visit he grew weary and asked me to help him from his motorized chair into bed, not an easy thing. Then after I wrestled him onto the bed he said, “you gotta pull my shirt off”…a tight tee shirt, even more difficult with him lying down. It was difficult…and awkward…we began to laugh, then he began to cry as he said, “Jack, take care of my family.” Yes, I cried. I told him I would, but reminded him he might live longer than me… I stay up so late, drink Mountain Dew and eat fried chicken. I live life at breakneck speed, even though I’m old.

I thought about the hymn…
When each can feel his brother’s sigh
And with him bear a part;
When sorrow flows from eye to eye,
And joy from heart to heart.

I’ve shared things with my friend Wyndham, things I may have shared with no other person, because I trust him as a friend to always do what is best for me. I feel a deep sense of gratitude that God put such a friend in my life, to have such a beneficial impact in my life. I feel a sorrow because we are not often together, and because we are aging and face life-limiting health challenges.

One reason I go at the pace I do, to so many places and into so many lives, is because I feel I have been given so much. Not that God has made me a great person, but God has put into my life great men & women who shaped my life, Wyndham being just one…a very special one, but there are so many who bear responsibility for making me who I am, in good ways.

I am grateful for Wyndham & Jeanie, for their friendship and for their family which is like an extension of our family. My kids look at him as a second dad. I hope for each of you that God puts someone this amazing in your life, and I hope you have the courage to go for it and the humility to allow the potter to shape you…both God the potter and those He puts in your lives.

And one more thing: I’ve argued with Wyndham, maybe more than I’ve argued with anyone ever. As elders in a large church, a fellow elder Greg Nevil once called us on the carpet and asked to get together with us to work out things as he saw us wrangling with one another. Great relationships don’t happen because two people just naturally agree and get along. Great friendships are forged in the fires of trials and conflicts as we love one another, and love God so much we will not let go.

The poet Edgar Guest said, “it takes a heap o livin’, to make a house a home.” That is true of friendships, too.

Wisdom Remembers God is at Work

It’s good to be reminded of modern day miracles. Changed lives.

These two “miracles” brought us lobster rolls a few days ago, which were delicious. Even more satisfying, however, was the reminder of God at work changing lives. Bill and Lara are friends, and also “kids” of some long-time friends. They came to visit Wyndham. Bill thanked him for changing his life. Truth is, Wyndham didn’t change his life, but what he shared with him did.

Wisdom reminds us that God’s word does not return void. Period.

⁸  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
⁹  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
¹⁰  As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹  so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:8-11)

Lara had been raised in a wonderful Christian family and became a Christian while a teenager but wandered from God when she went off to college. During this time, she met this guy, Bill, and fell in love. He had no real knowledge of the Bible or any semblance of the lifestyle of a disciple. Though Lara had let go of her “first love” with God, she knew she wanted a relationship like her parents. So, when they became engaged to be married she asked Wyndham if he would perform their wedding. He was happy to do oblige but insisted that they do some pre-marriage counseling with us beforehand. We explained that we believe a marriage needs to be built on a strong foundation (with God as the architect) in order to thrive and withstand the challenges that come with life. Thus, we would use the Bible as we met together to talk about marriage and their lives.

Bill was captivated by the Scriptures, and asked Wyndham to study the Bible with him. The Scriptures came to life before his eyes. He desired to change his life and follow Jesus. His excitement over the Scriptures and his learning how to build a relationship with Jesus reminded Lara of what she knew was true and right. His zeal was contagious…and she recaptured her love for God. A few weeks before their wedding Bill was baptized, and Lara was restored to the church.

Today they are strong disciples, teaching their young children the realness of God and love for the Bible. Seeing Bill’s changed life (even though they now live in another state) and the strength of their marriage and family impacted his mother in a great way, and she was recently baptized. He has great vision for all of his family.

Sometimes I get stuck and wonder how things can change. Other times I get discouraged and feel like miracles are out of reach, or only meant for others.

Wisdom remembers that everywhere the Word of God goes and is implanted, lives change. If you feel like you don’t know what to say or what to do, don’t worry. Read the Bible. Share the Bible. It’s powerful to change lives, and reawaken hearts grown cold. Ours and others.

Never underestimate the power of God and his word.

Wisdom Searches

We hope you have a happy 4th of July (no matter where you live). I’m taking a break from posting an article today, while continuing the now six- hour search for my car keys. It will be wise to continue looking, as they will be pricey to replace.

I’ve searched all the likely places, as well as the unlikely ones. I’ve searched the “ripe” trash, and have even searched in the freezer. They are somewhere, I just don’t know where.

I’m eternally grateful God sees us as valuable treasures..and searches for all who are seeking him. He never quits searching. He searches the freezer and the trash of our lives, looking for hearts that seek him. When we find him, he keeps seeking us out, as his desire is to support us throughout our life of service to him. What an amazing God.

I pray I find my car keys, but even more I pray to always seek God’s face.

“And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with single mind and willing heart; for the LORD searches every mind, and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will abandon you forever. (1 Chronicles 28:9 NRSV)

 
“The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”  (2 Chronicles 16:9a NLT)