I saw a church sign this evening that said, “Happy 4th of July!”  This in front of what I know to be one of our more conservative churches. The next sign said. “One nation under God.”  Better but is this the message we really want to share with the world? Should the church be involved here at all? What place does the church have in government?

            Big questions and I am sure our pundits both in and out of the church can debate this until the proverbial cows come home. God has set the answers before us in the Bible very clearly. So while the heathen rage let us be about the work of God.

            First the church as a whole has no place in civil government. Her individual members IF called by God should seek public offices. All of her members should exercise their rights as a citizen and vote in an attempt to obtain for this nation the godliest people possible in all of her elected offices.

            There are some in the church that believe the church should be attempting to put the Old Testament Law into effect as the laws of this nation. They believe the Bible teaches this and one day most nations will obey God’s law just before the Lord returns. They are in great error!

            If every person on earth obeyed the Moral Law (Ten Commandments) there is no doubt it would be a much better place to live. But that is not our purpose in the body of Christ and Christianity will never be the majority religion. Our duty is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. The better we do this the closer we will come to this goal. You cannot legislate virtue or morals.

            God gave to us essentially the same command for civil government as He did for our personal lives. God commanded us to love one another! That command will transform a city, county, state, nation, and world! Imagine a government where the officials actually loved their electorate.

            An overly simplified meaning for love is, “I wish you no harm and will not let another harm you if I can help it.” Wow! Imagine a world where everyone loved each other!  Can it happen? Most likely not but that is no excuse for one single Christian not to be living like it is because this is the command of God to all mankind. The God of creation said this and it does apply to every human being on the face of earth where they think so or not. One day we will each answer to God concerning this very thing. How would you rate your performance in obeying this commandment of love?

 Dr. Chuck Baynard    July 2006

I suppose such a term might be necessary for the sake of so-called national security, but I do so very tentatively. No matter the critics claim, whether disruption of the work force, the cost to provide for their needs, or an increased crime rate, the truth remains these are human beings created in the image of God and it is a sin for a Christian to treat them otherwise.

What happened to the most universal symbol of the United States, The Statue of Liberty? Just over one hundred years ago these words, a poem by Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) were set in bronze at the base of the statue:

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
with conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
a mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
with silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

How soon we forget from whence we all came. Very few reading this are native to this land and many not that far removed from the boats that brought them here. These are human beings and deserve not our pity but a helping hand outstretched in mercy and love. Regulate if we must for safety’s sake, but let us keep it humane and treat these people with dignity. Most will make fine citizens given the needed assistance and time.

Short answers to come of the points of the bigots that would crush a downtrodden people:

The cost? What is one human life worth?

The Jobs taken from citizens? Show me the citizens that want the jobs the vast majority of these people hold.

The crime rate? Wow, do you mean we did not have that already?

Quit playing God! Reach out to these people with the same things you would desire in their place. Walk in their shoes for one day! Which of us in the same circumstance would not go to all ends to provide for our families? I know you better not stand between me and the very existence of my family, one of us will die. All things considered, these people are meek and humble, compared to most of us.

Dr. Chuck Baynard June 2007

Emma, a five year old came up to me and asked if Miss Patty a member who had recently died was going to be in church tonight. I told her no that Miss. Patty was in heaven now. As tears began to form in her eyes Emma looked at me and asked, “Chuck is this heaven thing for real?” I assured her it most certainly was and even though we missed Patty that Patty was okay and happy where she was now. Emma had been at the memorial service for Patty where we had shown a slide show of pictures from her life. Emma asked if I could get her one of the Patty movies. I told her I would get her a copy for her very own and that seemed to quiet her down for the moment and her usual smiling self reappeared.

Too often adults think death is for adults and shut children out of the events surrounding death. Alan Wolfelt, the author of Healing the Bereaved Child said, “Any child old enough to love is old enough to mourn.” Any child old enough to mourn needs adult assurance everything is really okay and the hurting does go away.

Tell children the truth about the death at the first opportunity. Children are very perceptive and will realize something is wrong in the family. Being told about the death and included in family discussions will help the child accept death as part of the normal life within the family.

The death of a family pet offers a great opportunity to teach younger children about death. Don’t hide the pet’s death, tell the children. Talk to the child and share past experiences about the pet and the funny things it done. Share how the pet will be missed. Perhaps even have a funeral service and allow the child to see the pet buried to help bring closure. Share your beliefs about life after death with the child. While Christians have our own unique system of belief all systems of belief include an after life. Share your faith, and the happiness the person will know in the next life with the child. It will comfort the child just like it does you.

The emotional response of children in grief is quite varied: anger, loss of appetite, withdrawn, silent, can’t sleep, or perhaps even doing poorly in school. Whatever the response of the child, accept that response and help them work through their grief. Tell them when someone we love dies it hurts and it is okay to cry. However, also tell them this sadness will pass and all is okay and their world will not end because of this death of a loved one.

If the death is in your family you may not be able to help the child at this very moment. If this is the case seek help for the child, they do not need to walk this route alone. Often another elative can spend the time lovingly talking with the child and especially listening to the child.

We need to learn that we simply can’t fix some things for our children and it may take a lifetime for them to work out all the details for themselves when the death of a sibling, parent or other close loved one is involved. Be there for them with a lot of love and a pot of patience as they work through this the best they can for their own age.

Dr. Chuck Baynard July 2006