What Love Means

Love is not self-seeking, self-gratifying or self-serving.  It does not demand its rights.  Can you imagine a mother demanding her right to sleep, while her helpless baby cries for hunger in the night?  If she exercises that right, it would be wrong.  We would call her heartless. Yet, we act in similar manner when the needy cries for help in the darkness of their gloom.  We turn away saying that it is our hard earned money, or we need to rest and can’t give of our time.  Tithe has already been given, there is nothing more to give, we believe we have done enough, we have nothing else left to give to the poor.  But, we expect God to supply all our needs because we have given Him a tenth off our net salary.  What more can we give?  We selfishly give the most we think we can to God, expecting to get a large return on investment, without investing much in those who are in need. It is usually, all about us.  

Even parents don’t want to discipline their children because they don’t want their children to think they are mean.  Those are loveless parents, who care more about themselves than their children. Parents who do not discipline their children, are giving them a death sentence.  Love disciplines, in spite of what the one who is being disciplined thinks.  Love disciplines, wanting the child and others to be the best they can be and have the abundant life.  

A mother lovingly holds her child

The one who loves may hurt deeply and may even die for the one who hates him.  Love is not concerned with self, but rather the welfare of others.  Love makes decisions with the best interest of others at heart, even though they may not understand or agree with those decisions. 

When the one who truly loves, counts the cost, he recognizes he may be getting the bad end of the deal, but still loves anyway. 

Your Attitude Encourages Others

Recently, I was extremely impressed by artistes from the inner city community of Parade Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica.  We brought them in the studio to record a theme song for the documentary series Parade Gardens: Diamond in the Rough.  These talented individuals were professional, versatile and flexible.  I was really impressed with them.

Their attitudes are an impetus for me to work harder on their behalf and for their community in general.  I really want to see them succeed as they have a whole lot within them to bring to the world.

This was Tion's first time in the studio

 

Many people look at inner city communities and discount the residents.  However, these are folks of great value.  Eight years ago, God promised me through His Word that He would "Give me treasures in darkness and riches in secret places." Isaiah 45:3.  Years later, as a missionary in Parade Gardens, I suddenly understood what that verse meant.  The people are the treasures and their talents are riches.  That verse became more real to me, when one day when I just wanted to give up my work in the community due to many frustrations, however, little girl called Treasure came to me and asked if I was having the class for the children on the following Saturday.  I knew then, I had to battle through the obstacles to unearth the treasures in a place where many people do no want to venture, for Treasure's sake and all the other invaluable people from the neighborhood.

Often, people say that they are waiting on God, not realizing God is waiting on them to trust Him and to step out in faith.  More frequently than I would like, I do not know what God is doing, but I have to trust Him and step forth into the unknown.  It is then that miracles happen.  A miracle happened in the studio that day. Their attitudes encouraged me. I was inspired greatly by these nine artistes who came out to share their talent with the world.  They pressed through and showed up, in spite of the challenges they faced.  Many did not know where they were going. They had no idea how to get to the studio. But they set out on a new adventure, and became richer for it.  The riches may not be material, but at least many of them know now, they have inside of them what is needed to make it in this world.  Consequently, I have to press through, to help them make it.  They are worth it.

 "Countryman" played his saxophone for this song

I hope others will also be inspired by these artistes and their song, which will soon be released.    Their voices need to be heard as the message they bring can touch hearts and transform lives.  They are diamonds in the rough, precious and priceless.  

Facing Lizards

On New Year's Eve, a lovely lady wished me a lizard free 2016.  That was one of the best New Year's wishes I could ever have.  Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am not fond of lizards.

An intense dislike for lizards have passed on from generation to generation in my family.  Years ago, my grandmother locked the one handed gardener in one of the bedrooms and told him he could not get out until he had killed a green lizard that was somewhere by her hat boxes.  Years later, my uncle camped out on our sofa for three days as a lizard took up residence in his clothes closet.  Now, as I think about it, all he had to do was move to another room.  But, the sheer terror of this 6 inch reptile kept him far away.

I keep a broom nearby to run off lizards, if they are around me in the house.  Unless, I think they are too big, then I will run.  I have no shame in my game.  People wonder why my windows are closed.  They often surmise that I am locking out robbers.  However, this is done to keep other intruders out.  The reptilian kind.  I nearly had a heart attack when a lizard fell on my head once.  They are dangerous.

Many Jamaicans male and female are very afraid of lizards, especially the croaking lizard. 

They make this sinister croaking noise and they have bulging eyes that follow you wherever you go.  They are creepy looking.  There is even an article on this creature on Jamaicans.com. 

Croaking lizard from Jamaicans.com

My friend has suggested that I am being held in bondage by the fear of lizards, and I should pray to get rid of this herpetophobia.  I have prayed.  But, it is usually for the lizards to leave.  And, I have been know to tell a lizard or two to "get out in the name of Jesus."  Let me tell you, there is power in the name of Jesus.  

This friend who lives in Australia has also invited me over there to speak about my ministry in Jamaica.  I am not quite sure about this though, as she told me about the lace monitor that she encountered in her backyard.  I don't try to go places where there are crocodiles, so I am not sure why I should go to visit the habitat of this baby dragon. She told me that these lace monitors don't like heat.  So, I asked her to have a circle of fire around her house, if I should visit.

Now, since this is the beginning of the year, maybe I should make a resolution to face my fear of lizards.  However, at this time, I have no such resolve. I am not quite sure what is the purpose of lizards.  My animal lover friend's remind me that they eat flies.  But, that's why they invented zappers.

Maybe next year I will enter 2017, ready to face my fears.  However, this year, I will continue praying for a lizard free 2016. 

Valuing Our Inner-city Residents

I haven't blogged in a while, but tonight I just felt I should.  I logged into my account and saw a friend's blog about some folks bleaching their skin in a country in South America.

In inner-city Jamaica, skin bleaching is quite common also.  But, I have come to realize that the problem is not wanting to be lighter, but wanting to be more accepted.  Many people grow up feeling unloved and unwanted.  I have heard stories where the darker child stays home and does housework, while the lighter child goes to school as the parent believes the child who is more brown has the greater chance of succeeding.

People want to succeed, so they do what they feel is necessary to make this happen. It seems the lighter the skin, the brighter the future.  They also want to be accepted and many have said when they are "brown" they are more sought after.  Therefore, they also bleach to please others.

Our society gives us a lower self esteem.  Lighter skin models sell the most products and they seem to have better lives.  Many feel lesser because they are darker.  Missing the truth that they are fearfully and wonderfully made.

I want to help to change minds and consequently change lives.  Marcus Garvey implored people of African descent to "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery."  However, many are still trapped by self-deprecating thoughts that lead to self destructive behavior.  Many children have been told that they are "worthless" and "good for nothing" by their parents and teachers.  They grow up believing this and often don't even realize how gifted they are and that they are created for a special purpose.

I got an idea to show the positive side of the inner-city community where I am a missionary in a documentary TV series.  I knew it had to be God's idea.  The residents need to recognize that they are His treasures - diamonds in the rough. They are special with talents and gifts unique to them. They should have a chance to shine, and that is what Parade Gardens:Diamond in the Rough will allow them to do.

Plus, others in Jamaica need to understand that the folks from our inner-city communities are special.  Inner-city communities are the pulse of Jamaican culture.  People come from throughout the world to experience this culture.   We cannot deny the impact of these neighborhoods on our society.  We need to encourage the residents of these communities to use their talents, to build themselves, their community and their nation.  It is time for us to stop denying their value because they of where they come from.  And, where they live is NOT JUST A GHETTO.  

Gold St. in Parade Gardens, Kingston, Jamaica

Please visit our crowdfunding page, if you would like to get more information, or you would to support this effort.

Would you still follow Jesus if you knew what He really looked like?

For many centuries a number of artists and now filmmakers have portrayed what they think Jesus would look like.  Oftentimes, they have been influenced by their culture and own experiences as they depict Jesus.  In Michelangelo's painting, The Last Judgement on the wall of the Sistine Chapel,  Christ is an under dressed redhead with a thick muscular body and no facial hair.  Really different from, Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary painted by Raphael.  This Christ is a thin brunette with a close cut beard and fully clothed, even though Raphael may have thought less was best for a similar looking Messiah in Resurrection of Christ.  Raphael's Christs have features that are more like Christ in Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper.  While, child prodigy, Akaine, has a short brown haired Prince of Peace with green eyes. Some scientists believe this portrait is accurate as they say it matches the face on the Shroud of Turin.

The many faces of Jesus on Google

But, what does the Bible say that Jesus looks like?  Isaiah wrote centuries before Jesus' birth that He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:2  That means no matter how much I wish He did, Jesus just doesn't look like The Passion of The Christ's Jim Caviezel, and He sure doesn't have the features of Diogo Morgado in Son of God, who some have called the "hot Jesus."  Sorry to burst your bubble folks, but Jesus was not a "hotty" according to Isaiah.  Although, you may say Mary Magdalene swooned at His feet, but it wasn't for His appearance on the outside, instead she was moved by who Jesus is and the power within.

Since we are on the subject of feet.  Let's just stay there for a while and work our way up. John in Revelations describes the Son of God's feet as "burnished bronze."  Jesus will have dark feet when He comes back.  But how were His feet when He came the first time?  He must have had dirty dusty feet.  People didn't go for a pedi back then, even though they trod treacherous trying trails in sandals.  So, hard sore feet were the order of the day.  But Paul and Isaiah pointed out, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"  Consequently, no matter how dusty they were, Jesus' feet were beautiful.


Jesus must have also had some strong legs with all that walking, plus He must have lifted a lot of heavy wood being a carpenter, which would have made him muscular.  His hands would have been calloused from using all those tools at work.  Also, He may have had some meat on His bones to have been without food and water in the desert for 40 days.  

What I haven't been quite able to understand though is how so many artists have made his hair out to be so smooth and long. Since He didn't have all these detangling conditioners, then maybe He used some natural hair products.  But, Jesus was quite busy, so I don't think He would have had time to constantly get His hair done between the healings and the preachings.  His hair must have been battling the elements - wind, dust, rain and the heat.  I wonder if he packed a good comb and brush? If not, He would have some bad hair days with horribly matted dirty hair.  On His return, we can look forward to Him having "hair like wool, as white as snow" as revealed to John.

Coming from the Mediterranean, Jesus may have had dark hair and eyes and an olive complexion.  However, John again described His eyes on His return and He said it is "like fire."

I know that "Cleanliness is next to godliness," is most certainly not in the Bible.   Jesus would never have been godly then, yet we know Him as God.  He would have been dirty a lot, unless He walked with multiple changes of clothes and did laundry often.  Jesus healed with dirt, picked corn, played with kids and had people grabbing His clothing.  He must have sweated a lot with all that walking and may have been smelly as he lacked a good anti-antiperspirant.  

Think about hygiene back when Jesus was on earth.  Toothpaste, floss and regular dentist visits were not the norm.  Cavities and no teeth could very well have been what most people expected to have. 

In Painting a Portrait of Jesus, Bible scholar, D. Moody Smith states, "We are awash in Jesus fiction...the New Testament Gospels contain no reference to Jesus’ appearance, much less a description of him. We don’t know what he looked like."  He missed John's Revelation, but that may be because it refers to the Coming King, rather than when He lived on earth.

Cover of Biblical Archaeology November/December 2010 issue showing the representations of Jesus by two different artists 

Now, with little to go on about Jesus' appearance, would you be willing to follow a Jesus, who may have been smelly and dirty with rotten or broken teeth?  What if He wasn't that attractive, and didn't have the hair, eye or skin color you thought, would you still call Him your God?

 

You can't handle the TRUTH

I have found that the biggest hindrance to sharing God's love with people on the streets is Christians.  Yep, that's right.  The same persons who are to show God's love, are the same ones others feel have an unloving and uncaring attitude.

I have really had to check myself and look at the actions of other Christians to see if this is true.  And, I came to the conclusion that, it is.  Sad, but true.  Introspection can be difficult at times, especially when you look at the hard cold truth that some things about you are not good and definitely not Godly.  And most times, as Jack Nicholson said in A Few Good Men, "You can't handle the truth." 

Why can't we handle the truth? It is ironic, because Jesus said He is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).  If we really aren't handling the "truth,"  then we can't really be living in Christ as He is the truth.   And seriously Christians, the way we live reflects just that.  Many of us have been subversive and disingenuous in trying to get our "way", which is not necessarily what Jesus, the way, would have us do. However, we discount that fact, and pick Bible verses, sometimes out of context, to buttress our point.  It may sound good, but may not be of God.

We have made truth relative and not absolute, even though we say we believe in the absolute truth, but it seems only when it is relative to our point. But wait! Absolute can never be relative, so our truths then cause absolute confusion. What's my point?  Exactly!!!

 

This creates another Abbott and Costello type conundrum.  So, we have to figure out who's on first?  Just remember, I'm on third 'cause, "I don't know."

Now, I'm getting lost and need to get back on track.  Which track?  Not sure, because there are so many to get on, and frequently many Christians just "jump on a bandwagon," without even checking in with God or other sound sources to get factual information to clarify if the "bandwagon" is indeed on the track of truth.

The truth is, it's important that Christians do not just react out of emotions.  We need to stop, look and listen before we make a move.  Stop and be still to know without a doubt that God is working in the situation. Then, look at all that is going on from God's perspective, which is through eyes of love. And, listen to other point-of-views and most of all for God's direction, before you go.

http://stleonardsprimarybridgnorth.ethink.org.uk/2012/01/25/stop-look-listen-live/

 

 

We absolutely need to handle this truth and the truth about ourselves.  We cannot truly live or love, if we don't stop, look and listen. 

The Power of Love

"...the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

I met Kalia over a year and a half ago, and I truly believe it is the love of her parents and her extended family that not only makes her survive, but thrive under the circumstances she has had to endure since birth.

Kalia in the hospital

Kalia's first surgery was the very day she was born as she had no anus. The skin on her stomach was cut and her intestines were put on the outside through the incision so that she would be able to pass her feces. However, her battle had only just begun.  At just three days old she had her next surgery. This time it was on her esophagus, which her parents described as being attached to her lungs. When she was swallowing, air and food were going down the same passage.

These conditions would be taxing on an adult, nevertheless, Kalia's afflictions do not end there.  Compounding her situation are issues with her heart and kidney, along with an arm with no radius bone. She also has asthma, and is often admitted to the hospital for wheezing and shortness of breath.  With all these ailments, undoubtedly, she is susceptible to infections.

Kalia and her cousins

It is hard for her young parents to see their little daughter suffering, but they have learned to cope with the many emergency room visits and long hospital stays.  Thankfully, Kalia lives with a loving extended family who are there to help her and her parents lighten their burden. Unfortunately, she and her family live in an inner-city community in Jamaica and they cannot afford all her medical expenses.  

Expecting miracles, Kalia's grandmother often brings her to visiting missionaries and church groups for them to pray for her.  I too believe that amazing things can happen through prayer, but I also understand that we are to be Jesus' hands and feet here on Earth.  We have been positioned to help Kalia in whatever way we can. Learn more about how you can play your part.

Visiting missionaries pray for Kalia as she is being held by her grandmother

Kalia's story has made it to one of the nation's leading newspapers and now many persons are aware of all the challenges she has faced at such a young age and have fallen in love with her.  However, love is an action word, so now we must act and help Kalia have the best life she possibly can.  Love Now...Act Now!!!