NUMBER FIVE, 2022
In this issue 3
Cultivating a Tender Heart and a Tough Hide
charles r. swindoll
6
John Wycliffe
8
It's Time to Embrace Grace by Embracing the Unlovely
bill gemaehlich
charles r. swindoll
11
A Gift from the King
Annalisa Patenaude Understanding Our Times 12
Narcissism
steve johnson Beyond the Broadcast 14
The Grace to Let Others Be
Puzzle 15
Loving Others
Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bibleteaching ministry of Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll. Chuck is the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Texas. His international radio program Insight for Living has aired for more than 40 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright © 2022 Insight for Living Canada. All rights reserved. No portion of this monthly publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture passages are taken from the NLT. Unless otherwise noted, photography and illustration by Tim Schellenberg. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.
CULTIVATING A TENDER HEART AND A TOUGH HIDE by charles r. swindoll
Cover & Article Photo: Sandie Clarke on unsplash.com
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or as long as I have been in the minis- in us prefers to lash out, to protest, to cry, or try I have asked the Lord for a balance simply walk out. Paul refused to overreact. between a tender heart and a tough hide. His opening line is disarmingly pleasant, "I It isn't an easy balance. In fact, the latter is cheerfully make my defence." Cheerfully? By now the man ought to more difficult to cultivate than the former. In order to be fully engaged in ministry, job be blazing with indignation! Even though number one is to have a tender heart. The labeled as "a real pest" and a ringleader of a cult (see Acts 24:5, NASB1995), Paul grachallenge is developing a tough hide. Those in ministry are especially likely to ciously acknowledged the opportunity to be lightning rods; we are big targets for criti- make a defence. He refused to let his emocism. Every passionate pastor, every Chris- tions take the lead. When we lower ourselves to the overtian leader, every Christian author I know can list a litany of things that have been charged emotions of accusers, our anger said and done against them, many of them is unleashed. When that occurs, straight unfairly. What about you? How do you deal thinking caves in to irrational responses with judgmental remarks, those unkind put- and impulsive words. Paul didn't go there. Number two: He stayed with the facts. downs made to your face or, worse, behind He said, "You can check my your back? When a neighFor as long as I have record. Twelve days ago I bour mocks your version of biblical parenting, when been in the ministry I went up to worship. You can that couple in your small have asked the Lord ask those who were there." reported, "Neither in group questions every for a balance between He the temple, nor in the synadecision you make, when a tender heart and a gogues, nor in the city itself you find out a fellow Christian you thought was your tough hide. It isn't an did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone friend has been spreading easy balance. or causing a riot. Nor can rumours about you, how do you respond? Are you tough and tender they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me" (Acts 24:11–13). or do you become brittle and bitter? The Apostle never blinked. He stood his Few handle criticism well. But we'd all have to agree, there was one man who ground with stubborn facts. That strategy not only kept him on target, it enhanced his handled it with grace and grit. In Acts 24, Paul is on the witness stand credibility in the eyes of Governor Felix. Number three: He told the truth with before Governor Felix while a shady lawyer named Tertullus pontificates through some a clear conscience. Paul stated, "But this trumped-up charges. As you read along in I admit to you…I do serve the God of our this chapter, you will notice Paul waits for fathers…I also do my best to maintain always the smoke to clear and then calmly steps a blameless conscience…both before God up to give a defence. Paul's words illustrate and before men" (Acts 24:14–16, NASB1995). There is nothing like a clean conscience. seven ways to maintain a tender heart and a It not only helps you sleep well, it keeps you tough hide while enduring criticism. Number one: He refused to be caught thinking clearly. You have no fear that some up in the emotion of the charges. That's the skeleton will rattle when the investigation first mistake we usually make. Everything begins...because there is no skeleton!
Number four: He identified the original source of the criticism. Few things are more maddening than shadowboxing when you're dealing with criticism. One of the worst things you can do is to spread the venom to a number of other people—your children, your parents, your friends, or a group of other Christians—rather than going to the original source of contention and addressing it. You need a tough hide to do that. Number five: He would not surrender or quit. I love that about Paul. He's like a pit bull on your ankle; he won't let go! Take a moment to read 2 Corinthians 11:23–33. Beaten, bloodied, shipwrecked, harassed, endangered, run out of town, and falsely accused, Paul didn't give up, let up, or shut up. Number six: He did not become impatient or bitter. For two years Paul had been waiting for this trial. Did you know that? Yet we see no sign of bitterness. No impatience. No grudges. No ranting against the Roman authorities. Paul believed God was firmly in control of both people and events. Number seven: He stood on the promise of God. You know what flashed through my mind when I read this passage in Acts 24? A song I've sung in church since I was just a kid in Sunday school. Standing on the promises that cannot fail, When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail, Standing on the promises of God.... Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord, Bound to Him eternally by love's strong cord, Overcoming daily with the Spirit's Sword, Standing on the promises of God.1 Someone has said that there are over 7,000 promises in the Bible. Have you claimed one this past week? Two? Do I hear five? How did Paul handle criticism? He refused to get caught up in the emotion of the charges. He stayed with the facts. He told the truth with a clear conscience. He identified the original source of the accusations. He refused to surrender or quit. He became neither impatient nor bitter. He stood on the promise of God. Is that great or what? And it's all from the Bible. You can do every one of those seven. If you want a tender heart and a tough hide when enduring criticism, you must do them. So must I. 1 R. Kelso Carter, "Standing on the Promises", in The Celebration Hymnal (Word Music/Integrity Music, 1997), no. 410. Taken from Charles R. Swindoll, “Cultivating a Tender Heart and a Tough Hide,” Insights (July 2003): 1-2. Copyright © 2003, Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Soft Music for a Hard Heart SINGLE CD MESSAGE
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JOHN WYCLIFFE by bill gemaehlich
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his month’s hero of faith who encourages me as we walk through this tumultuous season is English theologian, Bible translator, and reformer, John Wycliffe. John Wycliffe was born near Richmond in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England sometime in the late 1320s. He went to study at Oxford University around 1345
and by 1360 was chosen to be Master of Balliol College. Soon after arriving at Oxford, the Black Death began to ravage England and it is estimated to have wiped out between 30 to 40 per cent of the population. This had a profound effect on Wycliffe’s life and the society in which he lived.
Wycliffe enjoyed the life of an academic shortly before his death in 1384. His and was recognized as one of the fore- friends continued his work and published most philosophers and theologians in the entire Bible in English a few years later. England and throughout Western Europe. The call for reformation by Wycliffe conAs he studied the Scriptures, he recog- tinued through his followers, known as nized the corruption within the Catholic Lollards, who began preaching his ideas, Church and called for church reform. He bringing an awakening to England even rejected the practice of indulgences and though it was against the law. Though said of salvation, “Trust wholly in Christ; Wycliffe died in peace, many of his folrely altogether on his sufferings; beware lowers were burned at the stake. In 1428, of seeking to be justified in any other way to send a message across Europe to those than by his righteousness.” Wycliffe held who defy the Catholic Church, the Pope similar views regarding salvation to those ordered Wycliffe’s bones to be dug up, of Martin Luther nearly 150 years later. burned, and thrown into the River Swift. Thus, he is known as the “Morning Star John Wycliffe is often called the greatto the Reformation.” grandfather of the Reformation, who Most notably, Wycliffe wanted the peo- planted the seeds for the work of John ple of England to hear Huss and Martin John Wycliffe is often and read the Bible for Luther. He was a brave themselves in English. called the great-grandfather man during a tumultuHe oversaw the transof the Reformation, who ous time and obeyed lation of the New TesGod’s call, speaking planted the seeds for the the truth regardless of tament from the Latin work of John Huss and Vulgate into Middle the outcome. English. He argued that I think we would all Martin Luther. the Bible has a higher agree how important authority than the Catholic Church’s knowing and speaking the truth of Scripteachings and is the only reliable source ture is in our day when many only want to of God’s truth declaring, “Holy Scripture hear that which is politically correct. As is the highest authority for every believer, we come together to pray, like Wycliffe, the standard of faith and the foundation let us hold fast to the truth of Scripture for reform in religious, political and social and ask God to reform and heal our land. life … in itself, it is perfectly sufficient for “In him was life, and the life was the salvation, without the addition of customs light of men. The light shines in the or traditions.”1 In his translation to Engdarkness, and the darkness has not lish, Wycliffe went back to the original text overcome it.” (John 1:4–5 ESV) leaving out all the interpretative notes that had been added through the years by the 1 Parker, G. H. W. The Morning Star. Exeter: The Catholic Church. This was a radical underPaternoster Press, 1965, p. 43. taking as it went against the mandate of the Papacy to not translate Scripture into a Bill Gemaehlich is the EVP/COO operations at Insight for Living Ministries vulgar tongue, punishable by death. Wycliffe completed his translation of the New Testament into Middle English
IT'S TIME TO EMBRACE GRACE BY EMBRACING THE UNLOVELY by charles r. swindoll
Article Illustration: Tori Matthys
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s horizontal grace missing in your life? the line when disciplining a player. Over his You may have embraced God’s vertical career, Hayes amassed an incredible wingrace to you, but missed its all-important loss record, but he also created a long list of offences against players, parents, fans, and connection in your relationships. Allow me to probe under your skin with sports reporters. During the 1978 Gator Bowl, a few penetrating questions. Do you free an opposing player intercepted an Ohio State people, or do you hold them hostage? Do you pass and wound up on the Buckeyes’s siderelieve them of guilt and shame, or do you line. Infuriated, Woody Hayes slugged the increase their load? Do you encourage oth- boy, nearly knocking off his helmet—all on ers or discourage them? Do you find yourself national television. Appropriately, Ohio State fired him the participating in the world of construction or next day. But in the weeks the world of destruction? Can you minister grace that followed, the nation Do you point out people’s raged, reporters mercifaults and failures or their to people who don’t lessly piled on, and anystrengths and accomplishinspire you to acts of one with a grudge vented ments? In other words, do you minister grace to oth- kindness? Let me suggest his spleen on the humiliers? Now, if I may probe a good beginning. Stoop ated coach. He retreated in silence and shame even deeper, what about down and embrace that person you find espethem. Love that reaches behind drawn drapes and locked doors. cially unlovely? up is adoration. Love During that time, Coach For me, a magnificent that reaches out is Tom Landry was to attend example of horizontal grace came by watching the compassion. But love a prestigious banquet in New York and he was free late Tom Landry while he that stoops is grace. to ask a guest to join him. was still coaching the Dallas Cowboys. During the time he and I served Normally, he would have taken his wife, Alion the board of Dallas Theological Seminary, cia. But this time he appeared with Woody I often sat next to him and found him to be a Hayes. Landry’s poignant act of grace lifted man of quiet dignity. The closer you got, the Hayes out of his shame and silenced his tormore you respected him. He was a man who menters. Grace has a way of doing that. I asked Coach Landry about it at our next lived under God’s grace, and he gave it away like few I’ve seen. This came into clear focus board meeting. He said, “I figured that since everybody else was beating up on him, he in his response to Woody Hayes. Hayes coached the Ohio State football team needed somebody to put an arm around for 28 years and took General George Patton him and tell him he still loved him.” Can as his model of leadership. His hard-nosed you imagine how that felt for Coach Woody discipline gained him a reputation for being Hayes? When he was bent low, feeling fiery. He was very difficult to please, had little ashamed...deserving nothing, Landry bent tolerance for failure, and sometimes crossed down, lifted him up, and embraced him.
Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Romans 5:7–8 puts it well. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. (Romans 5:7–8 MSG) We hear a lot about vertical grace—that grace we receive from God. But I ask again, what about horizontal grace? Are you demonstrating horizontally what you have received vertically? Can you minister grace to people who don’t inspire you to acts of kindness? Let me suggest a good beginning. Stoop down and embrace them. Love that reaches up is adoration. Love that reaches out is compassion. But love that stoops is grace. Don’t miss the absence of conditions in the Romans passage above. God didn’t look down and say, “When those scoundrels show the least bit of interest in cleaning up their act, then I’ll meet them more than half way.” No, while we were sinning and loving it, the Father stooped and extended supreme grace
in the person of His Son. He didn’t ignore our sin. He didn’t excuse our sin. He looked past our sin and accepted us in spite of it. And so? Let’s go there on behalf of others. Embrace others in spite of how unworthy or how unlovely they are to you. No one expects you to excuse the sin of the unlovely, nor should you become their doormat. Extending grace doesn’t send the message that you approve of their behaviour. And don’t fall into the trap of fearing that grace enables people in their sin. In fact, grace brings conviction to the heart of the sinner much more quickly than a rebuke. Think of someone right now—someone particularly unlovely—and decide today how you can stoop and embrace them. Be creative. Be specific. Find a way to express grace to them in something you say or something you do…then do it the next time you meet. Like the Nike ad says, “Just do it!” I dare you. Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, “It’s Time to Embrace Grace by Embracing the Unlovely,” Insights (August 2004): 1-2. Copyright © 2004 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Insight for Living Canada began over 35 years ago when a Bible-study group in Vancouver decided to look into bringing Chuck Swindoll’s messages into Canada. For more visit insightforliving.ca/our-history
A GIFT FROM THE KING b y A nn a l i s a Pat en aud e
Article Image: Jordan Whitfield unsplash.com
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All believers have spiritual gifts, whether remember when I first heard the term “spiritual gifts” in a sermon. The pastor you are gifted in serving, encouraging, or described them as the ways in which we teaching others. God has given you talserve God using our talents and abilities. ents and abilities to use your spiritual gift, which is different from another’s, making And I thought, what is my spiritual gift? My parents signed me up for piano les- up the Body of Christ. Maybe you haven’t sons when I was six. And I continued to discovered yours but have the abilities/ play into my teenage years, taking Royal talents God can use. It’s humbling to know Conservatory exams and practicing long God has uniquely equipped you so the Holy hours. When I was asked to join a wor- Spirit can do great work through you. In his article called “Spiritual Gifts,” Bob ship team at my church, I accepted, not Deffinbaugh explains it’s fully understanding the God has given you important to know your significance of what I was doing. I was joining with talents and abilities to gift since every Christian plays a role in the Body of fellow Christian musicians use your spiritual gift, Christ. He writes, “Your to worship God and encourage others to worship. And which is different from spiritual gifts equip you to another’s, making up carry out this function.”1 I realized my spiritual gift The Church is made up is serving and encouraging the Body of Christ. of unique people with difothers in the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit uses my ability to play the ferent abilities and talents and God has a place for everyone to serve. Consider how piano for this purpose. Wow! There are different kinds of gifts, but your gift might relate to your abilities. And the same Spirit distributes them. like myself, through even a willingness to There are different kinds of service, be used, you can discover what your spiribut the same Lord. There are different tual gift is and be blessed in using it. kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at 1 http://bible.org/seriespage/spiritual-gifts-1work…just as a body, though one, has corinthians-121-11 many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. Annalisa Patenaude is the Living Bridge Media assistant at Insight for Living Canada. (1 Corinthians 12:4–6, 12 NIV)
NARCISSISM by steve johnson
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You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves...” (2 Timothy 3:1–2a). It’s cause and effect. Push God out of His universe and don’t love Him as the supreme love. Instead, enthrone man as god, as we have done in our society, and the effect is that Paul’s words to Timothy become fulfilled to an even greater degree. Worship and love of God is replaced with worship and love of self. Another word for self-love is narcissism. The term narcissism originated more than 2,000 years ago when Ovid wrote the legend of Narcissus. He tells the story of a beautiful Greek hunter who, one day, happens to see his reflection in a pool of water and falls in love with it. He becomes obsessed with its beauty, and is unable to leave his reflected image until he dies. After his death, the flower Narcissus grew where he lay.
Narcissism is characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy for others, a need for excessive admiration, and the belief that one is unique and deserving of special treatment. The subject of narcissism has intrigued people for centuries, but social scientists now claim that it has become a modern epidemic. What has led to its increase? In simple terms, it is due to a societal shift from a commitment to the society as a whole to a focus on the individual and oneself. Here are some things in our day that helped this narcissistic flower to blossom. We have the self-esteem movement, which determined that self-esteem was the key to success in life. Educators and parents started telling their children how special and unique they are to make them feel more confident. Parents tried to confer self-esteem upon their children rather than letting them achieve it through hard work.
How should Jesus’ followers respond to Along came the rise of individualism with its focus on oneself and one’s feelings. the narcissism of our day? And what if we As society has modernized social norms find that we personally are guilty of it? that connected people declined. This 1. Return to Scripture. Consider what Paul exhorted Timothy to do in his meant that the community and the family day when “people will love only themwere no longer able to provide the same selves....”(2 Timothy 3:2) He said, “But support for individuals as they once did. you must remain faithful to the things As the social fabric deteriorated, it you have been taught...You have became much harder to meet the basic been taught the holy Scriptures...” need for meaningful connection. The (2 Timothy 3:14–15a). question moved from “What is best for other people and the family?” to “What 2. Recommit to love. The Scriptures we are to remain faithful to tell us, “‘You is best for me?” The modernisation of must love the LORD your God with all society seemed to prize fame, wealth, your heart, all your soul, and all your and celebrity above all else. All this, commind.’” And, “‘Love your neighbor as bined with the breakdown in social ties yourself ’” (Matthew 22:37–39). Paul created a vacuum. admonished the Romans, Finally, the rise in techThe subject of “Don’t just pretend to love nology and the development of hugely popular narcissism has intrigued others. Really love them” 12:9). social networking sites, people for centuries, 3.(Romans Re c o n n e c t w i t h such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik- but social scientists now others. Recognize that Tok further changed the claim that it has become what actually does bring sa t isf a ct io n is v it a l way we spend our free a modern epidemic. relationships with God time and communicate. and others. If you as a Christian have Today, there are 2.9 billion people on believed the world’s lie that self-love Facebook with nearly 936 million active is the secret to happiness it’s likely you Facebook users each day worldwide. have grown distant from God and othWhile social media can be a useful comers. It’s time to reconnect. munication tool, it also can be an addictive Ask God to rekindle love for Him and narcissistic vehicle. Internet addiction is a new area of study others in your heart. Take a break from that in mental health and recent research smartphone and shut off your computer. shows that addiction to Facebook is Start to use some of that time you were strongly linked to narcissistic behaviour spending on social media to renew your and low self-esteem. People who spend love-relationship with your Lord and His their lives consumed with self-adoration Word. And make time to renew, reengage, will find that this does not lead to hap- and revitalize your relationships with your piness. In contrast, research has shown spouse, family, and friends. That’s the best way to love yourself. that being embedded in social networks and being actively engaged in your community and connected with friends and Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for family has major health benefits. Living Canada.
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS Dr. Terry Boyle
“Horizontal grace centres on our relationships with others. Relieved from our guilt and shame, we’re free from the tyranny of pleasing people. We’re free from others’ demands and expectations, and they’re free from ours. When we demonstrate horizontal grace, we accept others as they are.” — CHUCK SWINDOLL
The Grace to Let Others Be
Many years ago, the eyes of the world were drawn to the dramatic rescue of two stranded grey whales. The Alaskan winter arrived early that year, and an everincreasing covering of solid ice cut off the whales from the open sea. A few kindhearted Inuit with chainsaws attempted to slice through the ice to preserve a breathing hole for the whales. Media outlets broadcast their valiant efforts, and soon volunteers arrived with heavy machinery and a determination to save the whales. But the volunteers’ energy was soon exhausted. So the National Guard sent helicopters to drop five-ton concrete bashers to break up the ice. Then, in a joint effort with the United States, the Soviet Union dispatched two massive ice-breaking ships to carve a channel so the whales could swim to freedom. Rescuing the whales required the combined resources of two governments, three weeks of heavy labour, and a cost of more
than one million dollars. If humans will go to such lengths to set free creatures of the sea, how much further will God go to break sin’s icy grip on us and lead us to freedom! However, instead of enjoying God’s ocean of grace, many Christians are still trapped—not by sin but legalism. Legalism with its layers of restrictions cuts them off from freedom and smothers them with shame. What is needed? Grace...not only vertical grace from God to free us from sin but also horizontal grace from us toward each other to free us from the grip of legalism. Father, thank You for Your care, which is constant and overflowing, totally free of comparison and control. Thank You for Your kindness, which frees me from those who intend to trap me under restrictions and control me with shame. I am Yours today, released to follow Your will and be the person You created—free to swim in Your ocean of grace. Amen.
“The Grace to Let Others Be” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series The Grace Awakening. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
Puzzle — Word Jumble Puzzle
Loving Others Difficulty ● ○ ○ ○
The objective of this puzzle is to unscramble the letters to form a word or phrase. Words are from the NIV translation of Matthew 22:34–40; John 15:9–13; Romans 12:1–3, 9–13; 1 Peter 4:7–9; 1 John 3:16–18
Puzzle solutions will be posted at insightforliving.ca/puzzle at a later date.
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