Why do preachers wear all black clothing?

There’s a group of men and women that shoot real and replica guns from the late 19th Century. It’s called Cowboy Action Shooting. There are matches at one of the local ranges. The participants must wear replica clothing, to resemble cowboys, outlaws, lawmen, card sharks, and ladies of the west.

Some years ago I joined one of the associations that promotes this type of shooting, and when asked for a name to be known by at events, like Black Bart, or Trader Joe, I gave Montana Preacher. I did it out of respect for my great-grandfather. He and his wife owned and lived on a ranch in western Montana for a time around the turn of the 19th Century. On my first deer hunt I carried the Winchester he’d had on the ranch. Anyway, I finally got around to thinking about clothing to make my appearance at a Cowboy event at the range, and thought I’d cut the belt loops off of old dress trousers, wear my Ariat Roper boots, and trim the collar on a shirt that looked like it might fit in well. I have a hat and braces (some call them suspenders) that would work nicely, too. I did some research online to see what some western preachers wore. I found there were many circuit preachers that rode from town to town holding church services. The pictures showed them all wearing black, just like so many preachers and all Catholic priests. The problems is that my boots are light brown, the trousers dark brown, and the shirt beige.

So, why do preachers wear all black clothing? When I looked for an answer online, here’s what I found at answer.com:

im not sure, why anyone wears all black!
in the 70’s it was witch covens that wore black
in the 60’s it was beatniks
i heard sinbad (comedian) talk about people who wear black were vampires
i saw a show called “in search of” with leonard nemoy, about those witches and now HE wears all black.
one person told me its about “respect” which is a Sin in the bible.
i think people who wear all black are antichristian and christians wear black to go along with the secret combinations and do not know it is against christ.
others say wearing all black is a form of protection against evil. witch Paglini of the genisarian clans teaches this
ive heard that Judges wear black robes because of the worship of saturnia. even someone said that the earth used to orbit around saturn or jupiter and they could see saturns rings.

my simple opinion is that it is about power and witchcrafts or sorcery. i have never met a person that wears all black and at the same time be a saint or even trying to be a saint. to me they all look like terrorists and anarchists.

Got any ideas?

Have a lovely fall day! Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Human Kindness

This morning I was thinking about kindness. Actually, I was thinking more on the lack of it. It’s not just in other people with whom I come in contact, but it is with me, too. I just don’t feel truly kind anymore, like the irritability I often feel saps it from me. Maybe it’s a sign of these Times, like love waning, becoming cold. Maybe it’s just me getting old and grumpy.

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6

A quick web search on Biblical Kindness, the kindness of the Lord Y’shuaJesus, came up with an interesting article at Bible Study Tools. The article points out that the word kindness is but one of many terms that overlap in meaning. Like the word mercy as used in Hosea.

“Human Kindness The Scriptures also teach that divine kindness is to be reflected in the human experience. Indeed, expressing kindness to other human beings is more important than performing ritual sacrifice to God ( Hosea 6:6 ; Matt 9:13 ; 12:7 ). Thus, we are to love kindness ( Mic6:8 ) and to be children of the Most High, exhibiting his kindness and mercy ( Luke 6:35-36 ). Even more direct is the simple injunction to be kind ( Eph 4:32 ). Kindness often finds a place in the lists of Christian virtues ( 1 Col 13:4 ; Col 3:12 ). Paul can take the injunction a step further and claim to exemplify kindness in his own life to a degree that commends his ministry as authentic ( 2 Cor 6:6 ).

“Yet human imitation of God’s kindness does not come naturally. In fact, ultimately no one is kind ( Psalm14:3 ; Rom 3:12 ). It is only as the fruit of God’s Spirit that kindness can be a consistent part of the believer’s experience ( Gal 5:22 ).” (from Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology.)

So I can see that in truth, it’s not that I’m becoming unkind through my irritability, it’s that I’m unkind in my inhuman nature. It’s probably “normal” to be irritable and unkind. To be truly kind, my ministry must be authentic, my works pure, and the fruit of the Spirit will create in me the kindness I lack.

Lord, create in me a clean heart, bringing me to an authentic life in You, that I might display Your kindness to all with whom You allow me contact. AMEN.

And to y’all. . . Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . . creating in you, too, a clean heart to be filled with the Peace of the Lord Y’shuaJesus. AMEN.

The Finished Pantry

Between various landscaping projects, hauling a lot of top soil, and chauffeuring teenagers, I finished the pantry. The shelving [part of one wall is seen in the photo] is espresso-colored, melamine-coated particle board, mounted to double brackets that fit into a wall bracket that allows them to be adjusted up or down, as needed. There are five main brackets mounted directly into studs. Should be hefty enough to cram even more stores. I had to go to four different big-box “lumber yards” to get enough of them to do the job. Either the shelves are popular, and stock is low, or they aren’t and stock is minimal.

You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new.

Leviticus 26:10

Knowing we’d be doing the pantry, we haven’t been shopping in a while. Having the food out of the pantry during the rebuilding process provided the opportunity to sort through everything. As it went back in, older stock at the front, we also added a lot of things to a shopping list. I think I’ll be making a CostCo run very soon. I’ve written about preparing for emergencies by having a well-supplied pantry, a deep larder. I don’t think I’ve given any Biblical reference for it. But Moses recorded some of G-d’s advice for daily living, and said that we should eat old store, making ready for new. I’m sure there are a lot of life applications one can take from this scripture, but in simple, practical ways, we eat what what is stored, storing what we buy. It’s nice that our Heavenly Father provided guidance for everyday life.

ASIDE: Okay. No, we don’t store greens, cucumbers, and tomatoes. We eat some things freshly purchased. Weekly we buy some produce, cheese, and a few other things. But the basics of our meals are taken directly from the pantry or the well-stocked freezer.

Time to get to work. Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Remodeling Flaws Add Character

Ants in the Pantry (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thinking more about the various flaws in my work in the pantry, I have to confess that even while I wrote that “It’s only a pantry,” it worried me that I wasn’t doing it well enough. I really did try to get it to look right. In fact, when doing some closets, replacing old metal shelving with wooden units, I worked very hard to get the wall smooth and the paint lines clean. Despite this, there remained areas that were less than perfect. I admit that in the pantry I was in a hurry and didn’t want to get sanding dust all over the kitchen. I used a coarse sponge only dampened to smooth out the final coat of drywall mud. I used only one coat of primer, and one coat of paint, too.

Yesterday, with the paint having sat a day, I walked into the pantry and the walls look pretty good. I’m ready to start the shelves. Even the small, noticeable spots that aren’t perfectly smooth look good. They add character. Really, they do.

In relation to flaws, I wrote about David asking G-d to examine him, and how hard it is to do the same for myself. I talked of G-d cleaning up some of our flaws that might cause bigger problems if left unattended. But what about the other flaws? As I thought more about them, I wondered if some flaws don’t add character, too. Additionally, there may also be some benefits to some flaws left un-repaired. Think about Paul, and what he wrote to the church at Corinth.

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

2 Corinthians 12:7

Some say Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was problems with his eyes. It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that Paul came to understand that the “thorn” was beneficial to his walk with the Lord. Perhaps Paul’s “thorn” could be said to give him his unique character.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine . . .

Remodeling Flaws

Among the projects this week is remodeling a pantry. It’s not too large, and had metal closet shelving installed along two walls. First, I tore out the shelving, then removed the hardware. Next, I filled all the large holes that were left when the hardware was removed. There were a lot of holes, too. I got by with two coats of drywall/sheetrock compound (mud) one each hole. The first coat filled the holes, the second blended the area in with the wall. After one coat of primer it looks pretty good. There are a few places that could have been sanded smoother, but, hey, it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s just a pantry after all.

There is an new hardwood floor in that pantry. While painting, as I cut along the base board, I could see small imperfections in the joints of the boards and in the new shoe molding. I could feel, too, some nail heads that weren’t put in all the way. Most of the flaws were beneath where the old shelves had been. Hidden. I’m sure the hardwood floor installer said the same thing as me. “It’s just a pantry.” And even with all the shelves out, the walls repainted, any flaws are hard to see until I get right down on my knees, and look real hard. Basically, walking into the pantry things look great, floor and walls. There’s one flaw, however, that will need to be repaired. It’s a tiny sliver of flooring protruding upward. It’s likely to be caught on a dust mop, and the splinter will come off. It still won’t be too noticeable, but will leave a small gap that will trap dirt. Eventually, left untreated, it could trap moisture, which will cause issues to the surrounding wood. A spot of glue will take care of it. Like the saying goes, “A stitch in time saves nine.”

Spiritual Lessons Abound. So I’m thinking about what David said to the Lord:

Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.

Psalm 26:2

First of all, David has guts. He’s basically saying, “Get down on your knees and look real close!” I feel reluctant to echo David’s prayer. There are too many things I’m aware of, so there must be lots of hidden flaws. Yet if I’m willing to say, like King David, “Examine me, O LORD. . .” here’s what I think will happen. The Lord will find the flaw that will cause me trouble if left without repair. The Lord will bring it to my attention. From there

I can confess it and accept His forgiveness for it. And then He’ll glue me back together. Hopefully metaphorically.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

The Waiting Game

“Hurry up and wait!” I heard that often enough during my years of military service. Waiting was as difficult as busy work, which was meaningless toil, drudgery, to prevent just sitting around waiting. There are other sorts of waiting, too. School kids “wait” for the bell to ring during last period so they can zip out the door to freedom. A parent waits late into the night for his or her teenager to return home from a date. And there’s the waiting of a Believer, a Follower of Y’shuaJesus, waiting for the Trumpet to call us to be with the Lord.

Waiting’s hard work. While driving truck, after delivering a load I often had to wait for another assignment. It could come at any time, too. Depending where I was, I might be able grab a quick shower at a truck stop that was close to where I delivered. Or perhaps grab a meal, if convenient. More often, I simply parked in the parking lot outside the plant to which I’d delivered and waited. I tried to read, but would find myself looking often and anxious at the Qualcom, the communications system on which I’d get a load assignment. It was hard to relax between loads unless I knew I had a set amount of time. Once, after delivering a load south of Dallas, Texas, I pulled into a dirt lot next to a restaurant, and went in for a meal. Every fifteen minutes I’d go out and check to see if a message arrived on the Qualcom. I was there about a couple of hours when I received a telephone call from the dispatcher asking why I hadn’t responded to the dispatch message. I went immediately out to the truck, but there was nothing there. He had to verbally dispatched me to a steel plant for a load going into Georgia. Not a bad run, but one I almost missed if I hadn’t had a cell phone with me. I took another twenty minutes or so after pulling out of the parking lot to receive the written dispatch on the Qualcom. Perhaps the metal building walls reflected the satellite signals, preventing me from receiving the dispatch. I don’t know.

Waiting is hard work. It is also a dangerous time; it is a time when we can be distracted and wander off in some other direction. There’s a story that Y’shuaJesus told about the maidens that fell asleep, letting their lamps go out. And in Luke chapter 12, after Y’shuaJesus talks about laying up treasure in Heaven, He talks about what to do while playing the waiting game.

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Luke 12:35-40

Matthew Henry commented on this scripture that Y’shuaJesus, “charges them to get ready, and to keep in a readiness for Christ’s coming, when all those who have laid up their treasure in heaven shall enter upon the enjoyment of it.” So there are two elements, according to Mr. Henry, in this waiting game. First, get ready; second, stay ready. That means waiting is active. It isn’t just standing around. Sometimes we are likened to servants whose master has gone away. Picture a servant standing by the door awaiting his master, doing nothing, just waiting. Probably not the best way to wait, I’m thinking.

So it seems there is good waiting and poor waiting. I’m on the poor side of waiting a lot of the time, especially when it comes to cooking. Even with a timer set, I’ll often just stand watching, waiting for the timer. In some of my best moments in the kitchen, I’ve put a pot of water on the heat, and while waiting for it to boil, done other things in the kitchen, or in the laundry room next to it. I’ve gotten distracted, too. I’ve left a pot to boil until nearly dry, and once totally ruined a batch of steamed vegetables.

Additionally, playing this waiting game takes balance and awareness. I’m thinking of when Y’shuaJesus went into the house of Martha and Mary. Martha was too busy to sit with Y’shua while Mary did only sit with Him. Y’shua said Mary picked the best of the two extremes. Y’shua hasn’t come into our house physically yet, so perhaps we need to be active while at the same time foster the spiritual communion with our Lord that He desires. But is our activity just busy work. What we do, is it necessary? Or is just something to fill the space between other things? Back to the kitchen. Perhaps when there is two minutes to wait for some vegetables to steam, it’s okay not to always have to be doing something. Perhaps standing in front of the stove is okay, and using that very moment to consider the One for Whom we wait to return. We can offer words of Praise, offering hearts of Worship, and we can offer prayers.

Occupying my waiting time then is a balance of activity that is purposeful, balanced with the spiritually uplifting elements of Praise, Worship, Prayer. And in all this activity, in all that I do, all must be done as to the Lord.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. . .

Colossians 3:23

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

A Song of Praise

A Song of Praise. Of David. I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

Psalm 145:1-5

“Those who, under troubles and temptations, abound in fervent prayer, shall in due season abound in grateful praise, which is the true language of holy joy. Especially we should speak of God’s wondrous work of redemption, while we declare his greatness. For no deliverance of the Israelites, nor the punishment of sinners, so clearly proclaims the justice of God, as the cross of Christ exhibits it to the enlightened mind. It may be truly said of our Lord Jesus Christ, that his words are words of goodness and grace; his works are works of goodness and grace. He is full of compassion; hence he came into the world to save sinners. When on earth, he showed his compassion both to the bodies and souls of men, by healing the one, and making wise the other. He is of great mercy, a merciful High Priest, through whom God is merciful to sinners.” (Matthew Henry, from his concise commentary)

In Mr. Henry’s comments, I find that the reward for “fervent prayer” during trials and temptations will be that some day I’ll “abound in grateful praise. I shant disagree with Mr. Henry; certainly there are always rewards at future times for today’s righteous acts. I will add, however, to Mr. Henry’s comment. David sang to his Lord, our Lord, “I will extol you, my G-d and King, and bless your name forever and ever.” When David sang this, he could not help but be elevated into the joyful realm of G-d’s Heavenly Kingdom, if only for a minute, even an instant. And one minute, even one instant, of Heaven is enough to change one’s heart for the day of troubles that follow.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Red Clay and Smiles

Back now, I look back on the “Warriors Dash” up in Tennessee. My son and his friend enjoyed it. The final obstacle of the five kilometer race was a long, shallow pond filled with lovely red clay. Strung just above the water, spaced about ten feet apart were ten or so “barbed wire” fences–I think perhaps it was plastic, rather than steel, not sharp and dangerous. The boys hit the mud at a run, rolled under the first wire, then crawled and dog paddled to the finish line where they received their medals. Their time was under thirty minutes. The fastest runners completed the course in twenty minutes; the longest times were triple that. And everyone received a medal.

Everyone, all winners, displayed medals proudly slung around mud-covered necks, dripping reddish brown water, slinging chunks of clay off shoes as they walked, smiles on tired faces. Some of the runners wore costumes. No, this was no ordinary marathon. One group of women, moms perhaps, dressed as fairytale characters, and a team of men sporting “super hero” clothing. I saw “Clark Kent” and wondered if at the starting line he turned into “Superman.” There were dozens of “Bat Man” costumes, a few zombies, and other Halloween-type clothing. Most startling to me is the varied ages and athletic appearance of the participants. Young, old, slim, muscled, heavy-set, pot-bellied. It was a microcosm of Hometown, USA.

I didn’t take a poll, but I imagine people’s reasons for coming, for running the “Warrior Dash,” varied as much as their ages. For my son, it was the physical challenge of something very different. For some, it was an opportunity to support the cancer-research efforts of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, running after collecting donations. For others it was a great way to enjoy a day in the sun, listen to a band, drink beer, and hang out with lots of other people who were just like-minded enough–or crazy enough–to run 3.5 miles and negotiate twelve fun, tough obstacles.

The event organizers utilized volunteers from the surrounding towns to help run the marathon. Even the local fire department got into the act by hosing off runners. Needless to say, the well-stuck red clay was tough to get off. There was a pile of muddy running shoes, left as a donation to a national charity. I can’t imagine those shoes coming clean.

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

Though I didn’t compete this weekend at the “Warriors Dash,” I did have the opportunity to be around lots of people who were just enjoying themselves. I found myself forgetting the way things are in the metropolitan area in which I reside, people at each others’ throats, so to speak. Strife. Inconsiderate drivers. Pressures of work, family, just trying to live. I’m not a party goer. But I think I can understand why, when the weekend comes, some people just want to party, to forget the week that was, and the week that will be coming.

Oh, I’d like it if all those folks that came on Saturday were “saved,” that the band played southern gospel songs, that the Name of Y’shuaJesus displayed over the field rather than a four-story-tall Miller Light can. I’d like it if Christians could gather together in the unity of the Spirit, could party together like those runners and those attending the “Warrior Dash.” I think perhaps when at last Lord Y’shua (Lord Jesus) returns to conquer, the Wedding Feast will be a great party of united Believers. Maranatha!

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. . .

Matthew 22:2

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

Shaking my head and wondering if I’ll ever learn

Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ... — Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ligaments. (Lateral meniscus and medial meniscus are cartilage.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lately my knees have been bothering me quite a bit. Arthritis, or something. I’ve had trouble with my feet on and off since I was a kid, too. There was a time, in the mid-70s that a doctor wanted to take apart my foot and sand the bones. I politely declined his invitation.

Despite the problems, up until a few years ago I was in fairly good shape, running and riding a touring bicycle that I’d built.

Needless to say, but with my knee joint issues, I’m no longer running, and rarely ride my bike. This week I’ve been doing a lot of odd jobs, and going up and down stairs is a real strain. At any rate, I dropped my two high schoolers off at their school, and stopped afterward at a grocery store. Waiting at the cashier to checkout, a fellow came up behind me. He may have been sixty years old, or so. His face sported a nice tan. He kept his white hair short and neatly trimmed. I noticed his running shoes, short running pants, and nice white shirt. He looked like he could be headed out to run or maybe play tennis. I thought of my aching knees and got to feeling pretty old. Then I noticed his arm. He had a towel draped over his left arm, and a large bag of ice on top of it. The cashier asked him what happened to his arm. He didn’t say at first, saying it was a bit of a story. She said something nice to him about hoping it would get well. It was then that the fellow confessed that he had had some problems at his morning dialysis appointment. The women said that in her “past life before the grocery store,” she had been a nurse and knew about things, but didn’t want to go back, liking the grocery store better. She was very compassionate, though, in her tone. The fellow said, “In my past life I was healthy, and I’d go back to it right away.”

My attitude reminded me of an old Joan Bias song about being angry for not having shoes, then seeing a man with no legs. I regretted my discontent at my aching knees, and my envy at his apparent athletic abilities. Compared to that fellow, I’m in terrific health, terrific shape.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Philippians 4:11

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine . . .

A Stone Retaining Wall

Some years ago, while living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I needed to do something about a rather steep hill alongside the driveway leading to the house. During rain storms, for about twenty feet or so along the drive, water flowed down the bank eroding the soil, which washed into the drive. My solution was to build a small retaining wall out of some small, flat stones that I removed from the back of the house. The irregularly shaped stones, carefully placed adjacent to one another in a row, made the first row. The second row I placed so that it was set back several inches as well as each stone overlapping the gap formed between the stones in the first row. The third row I set likewise. Finally, after ten or so rows, the wall was done.

The most important part of the job, I discovered, was in selecting the precise stone to fit particular place in the wall. In some cases, I would pick up a stone, try it, then set it aside. Occasionally, I did this several times before the “right” stone was found to fit. I tried, once, to break a stone and force fit it. It broke in the wrong place, and both pieces were set aside until their right place became apparent.

The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, wrote about Y’shuaJesus being a living stone.

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. . .

1 Peter 2:4

Peter compares Y’shuaJesus to a stone that is “disallowed” by men. While I built my wall, I set aside stones, but eventually found a place for them. In Peter’s letter, we see that Y’shuaJesus is not just shown as set aside, but disallowed. As far as humankind is concerned, Y’shuaJesus has no place in society; people have no need for Him. Yet, as Peter tells us, G-d selected Y’shuaJesus to be the perfect stone for our world.

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

1 Peter 2:6

The picture Peter wants us to see is a building in which G-d sets Y’shuaJesus as the chief corner stone. According to the Heritage Dictionary, a cornerstone is a stone at the corner of a building uniting two intersecting walls. Such a stone, often inscribed, laid at a ceremony marking the origin of a building. It is also an indispensable and fundamental basis: the cornerstone of an argument.

Some years ago, I recall a sermon in which the pastor said it wasn’t cornerstone at all, but cap stone. He went on to describe the building of a stone arch, and how the masons picked up and tried many stones to get them to fit into place as they built the wall, discarding ones that didn’t fit. In the end, a discarded stone is used to form the cap, the last stone placed, that holds the arch together. While that illustration is interesting, and for some time thought it accurately described the scripture’s intent, it is wrong. As I’m thinking about it now, it really misses the mark, so to speak. It has the masons selecting and discarding, and finally picking up a discarded stone and finding that it fits. That’s a bit arrogant. But then isn’t that what so much preaching is about these days: making Y’shuaJesus fit into our lives?

In the scripture, G-d selects the stone the builders’ discarded. That means if the builders continued, they’d build something false, without a true foundation. Those builders are “confounded.” They are mistaken. The building must begin with the cornerstone and the cornerstone is selected by G-d.

When we come to know Y’shuaJesus as Lord, it is often described as being born again. If we take Peter’s illustration of Y’shuaJesus being the cornerstone selected by G-d, then our lives before Messiah need to be rebuilt with the Lord as our cornerstone. We must build our lives based upon Y’shuaJesus. We must build our lives based upon His Truth.

And from time to time it’s not a bad idea to re-examine the building of our lives to see if it’s coming along according to G-d’s architectural drawings, and not ours.

Lord Bless, Keep, Shine. . .