Jack’s Winning Words 10/19/21

“We have met the enemy, and he is us.”  (Pogo)  After winning a battle with the British Royal Navy in the War of 1812, Commodore Oliver Perry reported: “We have met the enemy, and they are ours.”  Cartoonist Walt Kelly changed the last three words, making commentary on the strife going on in America in the 1960’s…Americans fighting Americans.  Could it be that something similar is happening in America today?  There’s an old saying: “We are our own worst enemy.”  I’m not going to win a prize for coming up with an idea for peace…but trying to walk in someone else’s shoes for a while might help.  I wear 13’s; what size are yours?  ;-)  Jack 

FROM HOMELESS:  my dad loved that pogo saying.===JACK:  There's a book, "The Gospel According to Peanuts" which compares some of the Charlie Brown sayings to messages from the Bible.

FROM WILLMAR REV:  You and I are measuring about the same; however, my right foot is somewhat smaller than my left. 0;-))===JACK:  Does that mean that your right foot has a smaller size shoe than your left foot?=== REV:  13” both, with somewhat of a smaller feel on the right…tighter shoestring pull only.  I was trying to use a little humor in my answer,  looking at your and my “political persuasions”… “left” and “right” 0;-))===JACK:  The right seems more stinky than the left...at least to my nose.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  I think it more resembles the 70s…..lots of bitterness….remember even the strife in the church.    The extreme left took over and rubbed the noses of their foes in it….behind later splits and bitterness.    Bad mistake and they still don’t comprehend that.   I have been a Centrist most of my life….hard to do in times of bitter strife….cf. the center during the American Revolution…..Patriots were pretty nasty folks.   Loyalists fled.   Centrists were the enemy of an empowered and mean spirited left.===JACK:  I understand that many of the loyalists (after the Revolution) went to live in Nova Scotia.  Just this week I heard someone say that they were considering residency in Canada.  I see the Church's task as being a unifying force...even as simplistic as WWJD?

FROM MD IN BSFL:    What's your take on the Camel filming campaign ads to be shown in over 300 mostly black churches?   As a pastor would you have allowed.. supported political activity in your church?===JACK:  I'm not aware of the Camel filming.  In my experience, people "vote" on the message of the Church with their feet.  I always tried to get the message across to people living in today's world.  It's an old saying: "The job of the pastor is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable."  Preaching the Gospel isn't just retelling Bible stories from the pulpit.===MD:  US Vice President Kamala is speaking on film encouraging parishioners in mostly black Virginia churches to vote for the democratic candidate for governor.  The film is purported to be shown in over 300 churches. Are you OK with that? ===jack:  It's a free country.  I control what I control

 

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I think we surprised a lot of our friends, both marrying ministers!  I read a humorous twist to that saying of walking in someone's shoes: "Never criticize someone until you've walked a mile is his shoes: By that time you've got his shoes,  and you're a mile away, so you can say anything you want about him!" My shoes are 10 or 11's. Big for women!===JACK:  BIG just mean - harder to fill.  ...and it certainly rings true for you.  You have accomplished so much in the lifespan that has been yours.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  i wear a 13 1/2 and sometimes a 14.  but it is all related to a person's height.  if we had small feet, we would be tipping over or falling over quite often.  seriously!  ===JACK:  As intern pastor that I knew was a real stickler for shined shoes.  One of the first thing a seminarian learned to do as he started his intern year was to actually learn how to shine shoes.  The pastor and the intern never called members by their first names.  It was always:  Mr, Mrs, Miss, Dr.  It was a very successful church.  Whenever I attended meetings with that pastor I noticed that he would always be doing a crossword puzzle...very neatly.

FROM SR IN SJ:  I'm afraid both quotes are eminently true, Jack! We need to admit that Truth and do something about loving ourselves in one another! Maybe bigger hearts and minds, plus shoes, could help. . . . I wear  size 10===JACK:  Most of us don't have any concept of what it is to walk in the shoes (sandals or bare feet) of the truly needy.