A Vital Virtue, Usually Forgotten - Charles R. Swindoll

you're listening to dallas theological seminaries chapel podcast a clear voice in chaotic times thank you and good morning it's great to be with all of you and to have my first chance to welcome you to the fall semester of 2006 at Dallas seminary it's always a memorable experience to hear the singing in this place kind of wish you could package it and take it with you when you go to some of these dull spots where they don't sing it's wonderful to have it here I've been away for a couple of months on a little vacation mixed with a many sabbatical and while I was gone we had a number of folks from the seminary preached in my place and it's always fun to come back and hear people's response and among them we had dr. ramesh richard who is a part of the faculty of course and one of our parishioners said i just want to thank you for Ravi's ministry it was wonderful i said it really wasn't ravi it was ramesh he said yeah i'll tell you as a karai's is out of this world oh it wasn't ravi zacharias he's no whoever it was he knew what he was doing well one out of three he got right and I never forget the time the lady walked up and said oh dr. Dobson I want to thank you for your books would you would you just sign this but she had been sitting through the entire service and so she brings one of Dobson's books and I sign it Jim Dobson happened they don't know where they just come you know what was 47 years ago I first sat where you're sitting today the faculty numbered about 19 as I recall some of them part-time student body was less than 350 but the sense of bewilderment and intimidation and fear that sense was all the same it hasn't changed I know how many of you feel you couldn't feel more uneasy than I felt that first few weeks and few months as the year unfolded and we got underway in our studies I've never been around this kind of context I had never known people this bright I'd never set along those that were that capable and gifted and I I had no idea where any of that would lead just like most of you and I remember thinking it's just absolutely the truth I remember sitting here thinking this Chapel time is essential for me because there's no competition there's no grading there's very little academic about it it's a place to have my soul a softened and my heart nourished and I learned over those four years how true that is and so on the front end of this fall semester let me urge you to take time for this hour for this time you will find as your studies intensify that this will be the first and easiest thing to go it'll be there it'll be the quickest decision for you to make you'll be having that test coming up you'll be you'll be facing the pressure of the semester and there be there will be nobody demanding anything of you as it as it has to do with being at the chapel but it'll be here and let me add really only here that you can sit without needing to take a note though you may want to on occasion you can listen and you can search your heart and in the self-examination you'll find that ministry begins to make up its mind for you and I urge you I would if I could get on my knees and make it more effective I plead with you to stay with this this time of devotion now during the few times I'll be speaking through the semesters this year and next I will um I will focus on things that I believe are so needed in ministry none of which are academic none of which demand a high IQ none of these things is there a course provided to teach on but these are the things that will make you or break you as a woman or man of God these kind of things it was a prophet Micah who asked what does the Lord require of you well what's expected and then he goes through a list of possibilities the thousand Rams ten thousand rivers of oil I did do I need to get my firstborn for the sins of my soul is that what God requires no noses the Prophet no none of the above do what's right do justice love kindness walk humbly with your God I want to focus on the second of the three out of Micah 6:8 I want to focus on that wonderful concept that vital virtue that unfortunately and regrettably is often forgotten the virtue of kindness being kind because just as you will find it easy to begin to skip chapel and overlook the need for time to have your heart softened and your soul prepared and nourished so you will find in ministry that kindness will fly away because it doesn't come naturally and because you will find regrettably that it isn't frequently found even in the church especially when when people needed the most kindness takes time following this time with you I'm gonna drop by and meet with a friend I've known since the 70s he's dying a brain cancer may not live a month he doesn't need any verse exegete II though I could do that he doesn't really need a sermon though I have a barrel of those he he needs a touch of kindness and his wife as well who knows that in two months his voice will no longer be heard in the home because he'll be dead barring a miracle last Sunday I met a couple and they talked briefly with me and he was sort of grim-faced and she was very somber and he said we've sort of come to this place on a lark neither one of them had a Bible and and both of them sort of said took four on behalf of each other we've sort of been at each other's throat matter of fact he said we've been away from each other for months and we thought well maybe we need God and somebody said well they talk about him over at that place and they pointed in our direction and they came they needed kindness from me I want you to hear a story just sit back and relax okay twenty years ago I drove a cab for a living when I arrived at 2:30 in the morning the building was dark except for a single light in a ground-floor window under these circumstances many cab drivers would just honk once or twice wait a minute then drive away but I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation to drive away unless the situation smelled of danger I always went to the door this passenger might be someone who really needs my assistance so I walked in the door and knocked just a moment answered a frail elderly voice I could hear someone being something being dragged across the floor after a long pause the door opened a small woman in her 80s stood before me wearing a print dress and a pillow and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it like somebody out of the forties movies by her side was a small nylon suitcase the apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years all the furniture was covered with white sheets there were no clocks on the walls no knickknacks or utensils on the counters in the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware would you carry that just bag out to the car for me she said I took the suitcase out and returned to assist the woman she took my arm and walked slowly toward the curb she kept thanking me for my kindness it's nothing I told her I just try to treat all my passengers the way I wouldn't want my mother treated when we got in the cab she gave me an address then she said oh by the way could you drive through downtown it's not the shortest way I quickly oh I don't mind I'm in no hurry I'm on my way to a hospice I looked in the rearview mirror and her eyes were glistening I don't have any family left she said almost to herself the doctor says I don't have very long I quietly reached over and shut off the meter what route would you like me to take for the next two hours we drove all around the city she showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator we drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds she had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl sometimes she had asked me to slow down in front of a particular building or corner she would sit staring into the darkness saying nothing as the first hint of Sun was creasing the horizon she suddenly said okay I'm ready let's go now we drove in silence to the address she had given me it was a low building like like a small convalescent home with a driveway that passed underreport eco two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up they were solicitous and intent watching her every move they were expecting her I opened the trunk took out the small suitcase carried it to the door the woman was already seated in a wheelchair how much do I owe you she asked no you don't owe me anything I said oh you have to make a living she answered all there are other passengers I responded almost without thinking I bent over and gave her a hug she held onto me tightly you gave an old woman a little bit of joy she said thank you I squeezed her hand and walked into the dim morning light behind me a door shut it was the sound of the closing of a life I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift I I drove aimlessly lost in thought for the rest of the day I could hardly talk what if that woman had gotten in an angry driver earlier that morning or one who was impatient what if I had refused to take the run or at honked once and driven away on a quick review I don't think I have done anything more important in all my life I love that story sort of helps me allow life to make up its mind again you need to remember that story because I understand the schedule I understand the curriculum I understand what's in front of you better than any of you understand I know what you're facing I also know after almost 45 years of ministry the stuff you'll be dealing with the times you will want to be anything but kind because it is so much easier to bear a grudge and hate and return or get back or get even friend of mine gave me a note hate destroys the vessel it's kept in revenge never healed a wound truth be told some of you have arrived pretty beaten up there's one thing all of us have in common we've been mistreated by somebody some of you have known abuse misunderstanding even though you're young you've already felt the sting of not being understood by those you thought would understand it's just starting and all of this has a way of siphoning your tank of kindness it can make you hard and you can get on with hard you can get along with it fact some will even respect you more because you're tough but I heard you not to be at the conclusion of a series of commands and Ephesians for Paul winds up by saying be kind tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you it is required that you love kindness it's required that you love it you model yes it wonderful whole Hebrew turn when you say it writes something lands on the back of the neck of the guy in front of you yes mercy kindness another story is recorded in Genesis beginning at chapter 38 of a 17 year old boy who had a family he needed to forgive in a matter of time nice place window chapter 37 not 38 Jacob has a son named Joseph he's 17 years old Joseph's brothers hate him because he tattles on them and as a result they team up and think first to kill him of killing him and then they decide now they'll sell him though they sell him for a handful of coins and he winds up in another culture as a slave doesn't know the language abandoned by his brothers thought dead by his father he ultimately gets a job as a houseboy for military official named Potiphar Potiphar watches him and over a period of time he gains Potiphar's respect and by and by Joseph earns the role of Potiphar special assistant he's in charge of everything in the house unfortunately included in the house is a wife with a wayward eye and she lusts after Joseph and she attempts to seduce him more than a few times she makes herself available to him and finally when no one's around she lurches for him and grabs him and says to him in bold uncertain terms lie with me let's have sex nobody's around Joseph runs she still got one of his garments and she screams rape and of all things he winds up in an Egyptian dungeon this is a young man who really hasn't done anything wrong well he was a 17-year old it didn't act wisely who acts wisely at 17 he's uh he's a young man who doesn't know his way around the culture and and he's bought by this man he doesn't know what he's living in this home he's never seen such luxury and now he winds up with a false charge against him I mean he talked about a reason to hate in the meantime God knows where he is and watches over him carefully I love it that you know the story so you know where it's going by and by he gets out of that Egyptian prison and winds up second in command in Egypt Prime Minister now back at the ranch the brothers have no thought of him and the dad pretty well put him out of his mind but a drought happens a famine occurs because Joseph is planned wisely there's plenty of food in Egypt and when the drought reaches all the way to Joseph's original homeland the father says to the brothers you need to go and get food or we'll die but they don't know is that the one they'll be talking to is the brother they ripped off in chapter 45 there's a great moment this is what you call finding the sweet spot of revenge this is Joseph SMO meant to shove their face in it they don't even know who he is yet so they're standing there with their head in their hand hoping to get a hand out and here stands this Egyptian speaking prime minister now a man they don't recognize but he knows who they are I love stories like that where the reader knows what the people in the story don't joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him and he cried have everyone go out from me so there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it and the household of Pharaoh heard of it and Joseph said to his brother I am Joseph I am Joseph I'm really Joseph I'm your brother I'm Joseph is my father still alive his brothers couldn't answer him for they were dismayed at his presence I reckon because they thought he would be like they are Joseph said to his brothers please come closer to me they came closer and he said I'm your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt now at all washes over them all the guilt all the shame all the feelings all the fear all the stuff that makes for sin and they relive it in their minds and they see before them the man who with just one turn of his thumb can send him to Eternity they'll never get back even to see their families but listen verse 5 do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here for God sent me before you to preserve life it's kindness pause right here I know you know what's coming but pause right here would you have done that please don't answer I'll just leave it all just leave it right there in your mind before you're through in Dallas seminary I hope your answer will be yes I understand the practical outworking of the theology and the truths of the scriptures that I've learned in these classrooms but what I've really gained from this truth is another way of life that I never had before my training began I've learned by watching men and women of kindness I've learned by being around students who were kind with me when I lost time at school because of a sickness or because of a loss in my family or the death of a child or a break down emotionally whatever may have been the cause they showed kindness to me I'm different today Joseph said don't be angry with yourself the implication is I'm not angry you he settled that a long time ago who knows where in the dungeon working in Potiphar's house back when he was learning a language and a culture both unfamiliar to him we're not told we just know he's different than they are God sent me before you to preserve life his theology as written is right on God isn't almost sovereign what is absolutely sovereign there are no accidents there are no mistakes there are no coincidences this is an event that was planned before there was time or matter planned by the Godhead for his glory and for my good he says the famine has been in the land these two years and there are still five years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvesting look at the theology verse seven God God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth and to keep you alive by a great deliverance method that's what it is he's loving dressing he's loving mercy he's modeling kindness the exam real exam is taking place right now he's passing with flying colors verse nine he repeats hurry go to my father say to him thus says your son Joseph God has made me Lord of all Egypt come down to me don't delay notice God did this God's made that God's cause this that isn't enough verse fifty fifteen he kissed all his brothers you imagine what they felt we started towards him and with each one of them he planted a kiss on their cheeks and he took time to tell them how much it missed him and how fully he forgave him don't you like the end of verse fifteen afterwards his brothers talked with him talk about a family reunion so he sends them back to get the dad I love the little lion because it tells me Joseph is still a realist look at verse 24 so he sent his brothers away and as they departed he said to them don't quarrel on the journey now there's a boy that still remembers the brothers you are always quarterly you are a family of warriors you have argued your way to adulthood and Beyond and you're still fighters stop it get daddy bring him back cut to the chase chapter 47 verse 27 daddy comes the brothers and the families common they're not given the ghetto they're given the best land in Goshen they're not loaned the land they're given the land and Joseph doesn't do it and split Joseph does it and stays and it watches his daddy grow older it's a very great scene in verse 27 now Israel the name now given for Jacob lived in the land of Egypt and Goshen the acquired property in it were fruitful and became very numerous Jacob please notice this I saw it when I first was teaching on Joseph Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years that's how old Joseph was when he left his dad same amount of time Jacob has now lived in Egypt so the length of Jacob's life was a hundred and forty-seven years when a drew near he blessed his sons and finally verse 33 chapter 49 after he finishes charging his sons he drew his feet into the bed breathed his last and was gathered to his people I love the way the Bible puts that he then in the words of the Statten who stood beside Lincoln when he died he became a part of the ages Jacob's gone and Joseph weeps still tender still kind still having feelings for his father I know you well enough to know because I am one with you in so many ways that it is very very easy for us as we reach adulthood to see our parents in a different light be careful with that be really careful without them you wouldn't even be here I know they haven't been everything they had they should have been and maybe they haven't been everything they should have been for you but they're your mom and they're your dad though they don't know how to say it quite like this they love you and admire you and live for the day you'll stand and speak for God someday you'll lose him like I've lost mine and you'll have feelings that you just wish like crazy you would have expressed like Joseph mr.phil after saying goodbye to was dead and they take care of the burial they're back together for this last time in Genesis chapter 50 verse 19 Joseph says to his brothers don't be afraid am I in God's place see when you take revenge you take God's role vengeance is God's job not your job I could name a dozen people that have done me wrong really wrong in my lifetime it's God's job to deal with them not one of those people has asked forgiveness there's a break in our relationship not because I wanted but they want it and I could let that eat me up and as best I could say I've not really caused it there were misunderstandings there were things done and said that that never got bridged I would love to know that by the time I'm gone there is peace with all of them but there will be Joseph wants to make certain with these men his brothers and he says as for you you meant evil against me but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result verse 21 so he comforted them here it is and he spoke kindly to them wasn't that great he starts off being kind when they first meet he's still kind and he's kind when they die or when he dies and is gone there's still kindness I want to leave with you three thoughts that will help I think as it relates to kindness all three from the story number one when I realize I'm not in God's place Joseph's words the desire for revenge fades when I realize I'm not in God's place the desire for revenge fades so whoever it is whose face is on your dartboard spend the first few weeks at seminary getting it erased you're not in God's place furthermore your retaliation would be nothing compared to what God can do if that's his plan you take care of them second when I acknowledge God's sovereign hand in all that's happened the grip of bitterness is released Joseph said God was in this I see God from start to finish certainly I wouldn't have planned it some of it's been horrible painful difficult sometimes impossible for me on my own strength to bear but I see God's hand in it but I acknowledge God's sovereign hand and all that's happened the grip of bitterness is released third when I'm truly free of revenge and bitterness there is plenty of room in my heart left for kindness and not until we were in Israel this last May some faculty members went with us along with their wives and husbands we were we were there for about 10 or 11 days thought often about how good it was and we went when we did and got back when we did in light of what's happened in the months that have passed recently while there we were at a one of those sites just above the Mount of Olives as you look down on it and right in front of us was an old wall almost black with age just beyond the wall was a cemetery full of Jews who've now passed what a wonderful guide that particular day and while we were standing there I I just said to her would you would you read us one of those epitaphs and she said sure which one I said well how about that one I picked one randomly the epitaph read in in her words as she translated this man was an Auschwitz survivor born in Austria and died in Jerusalem after the war she then said he was known as a man who spent his whole life chasing Cressida isn't that an interesting phrase I said there are other people with me who were all unaware of the language and I said on their behalf in mine the last part again she said it says chasing s it she said actually it's a common Israeli figure of speech to describe a person who spends his life pursuing kindness and Ashwin's survivor do that would it be great ad out of seminary survivor chasing father

Channel: Dallas Theological Seminary

Views: 20,614

Rating: 4.9189191 out of 5

Keywords: kindness, virtue, mercy, spiritual maturity, grace, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Charles Swindoll

Id: xDDO4NHOOUM

Length: 37min 27sec (2247 seconds)

Published: Tue Jul 10 2012