Brownson Properties

09/12/2026

Elmer Albert Frank III
November 20, 1963 – August 18, 2026

Reading through the Bible…Proverbs 13-15/II Corinthians 5

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (II Corinthians 5:1)

Our earthly bodies, according to our Bible verses today, are like tents (skénos, pronounced SKAY-nos). We live in them temporarily on our journey towards Heavenly and permanent homes (oikia, pronounced oy-kee'-ah).

On this earth, our skénos are all we have to house us. They are also all we have to house the Holy Spirit.

While we are living in our tents, God gives us the Holy Spirit (our Ruah or breath) to sustain us until we reach our Heavenly Home. God gives us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (II Corinthians 5:5)

Since our tents provide lodging for us and for God’s Spirit we must take care of our bodies.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

God downpays us with God’s Spirit while we live in these tents of ours. Then, after we have cared well for those tents, and when we die, He accepts His Spirit back as our downpayment on our Heavenly Home.

Writing…

Living in tents is not always that much fun. Cancer, car accidents, congenital diseases. You name it, we experience it. At times we groan.

Such is the case for my friend Elmer Albert Frank III, affectionately known to most of us as Duke. His body, his earthly tent takes some hits from an early age. He shares freely about his struggles with addiction and incarceration.

Still, God’s Spirit hangs out in Elmer Elmer Albert Frank III’s tent. Duke’s body houses a big heart.

Duke also has a set of handy hands. Duke moves into a house that Jeannette and I are able to purchase. Then, he transforms it. The link below tells the story (even if you can’t read this article, I hope you can watch the video. It’s ten minutes long).

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EVf13ZH9S/

Building…

That’s Duke’s story. What’s yours? No matter how many trials you face in this tented life, in and through Jesus Christ, I believe that you have the Downpayment of the Holy Spirit.

When your earthly tent gets destroyed, I hope that you are able to cash in your Deposit on your Heavenly Home, kind of like Duke does.

09/11/2026

Reading through the Bible…Proverbs 10-12/II Corinthians 4

We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken….

Paul writes these words almost 2000 years ago. He well could have “papryussed” them on September 11, 2001.

Today we remember 9-11.

Today, I remember Paul (formerly known as Saul) as well.

Saul was right there, congratulating the killers. (Acts 7:60)…All this time Saul was breathing down the necks of the Master’s disciples, out for the kill. He went to the Chief Priest and got arrest warrants to take to the meeting places in Damascus so that if he found anyone there belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)

Saul holds the coats of Stephen’s killers at the end of chapter seven. Then, at the beginning of chapter nine, he’s out for more blood. His religious convictions are compelling him to kill Christians.

Then, something happens.

Groups of Christians start to act. The first believers in Jesus respond with daily prayer. At least three times a day, they gather: “these men are not drunk, it’s only 9:00 AM in the morning (Acts 2:15). Peter, James and John go up to the temple at the time of prayer 3:00 PM (Acts 3:1). Later Peter goes up to the rooftop to pray at noontime (Acts 10:9).

Peter, along with the early church, times his prayers perfectly. Because noontime is…

When something happens.

At noontime, God’s people pray for Saul their persecutor as Jesus commands: When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer (Matthew 5:44). At noontime, Saul (soon to become the Apostle Paul) sees the light. Then, at noontime, he starts his journey to becoming a light to the Gentiles.

Writing…

Saul kills Christians. Osama bin Laden kills Americans.

I’m not implying that their actions are equal in impact. I am wondering, however, if the early church’s response to Saul might carry with it some clues for how we might most effectively respond to terrorism today.

Nothing justifies the persecution by Saul of countless Christians in his day. Nothing could possibly justify the horrific events of 9-11. Still, how we might want to respond today on this 9-11 anniversary?

Timothy Snyder in his substack article today suggests how politicans could have, perhaps should have, responded in 2001…

The basic American policy response to 9/11 should have been to liberate ourselves from fossil fuels. Without our dependence on oil, we would never have been entangled in the Middle East in the first place. Most of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudis, citizens of an oil kingdom that we helped to build, our “ally.” The right reaction in September 2001 -- as I wrote to a friend in the White House -- was to fund fusion and other clean energy sources. Had we done so, we could have headed off global warming, prevented further Middle East wars -- and indeed prevented the rise of Vladimir Putin’s hydrocarbon oligarchy and his invasions of Ukraine.

I think he’s right. Still, how might people of the book in particular (Jews, Muslims and Christians) want to respond today?

I say pray!

You could argue that the early christians pray because it’s all that they can do. They don’t have a military like ours. They can’t send destroyers to the Strait of Hormuz.

Perhaps.

I wonder, though, even if it’s not all we can do, if it still might be a good thing to do.

Building…

This year 9-11 falls toward the end of a Global Week of Prayer.

https://www.24-7prayer.com/weekofprayer/

Thousands of people this week globally are choosing to look up, rather than giving up. Similar choices are being made locally. Christians around the world (including me) are using a new app to model the early church rhythms of prayer.

https://lectio365.com/

I can’t imagine that, whether intentionally or not, bombing a school and killing innocent children is going to do much to change Sauls into Pauls. Can you? Prayerfully starting a school just might, however.

We can do better globally. We can do better locally. Let’s decide, on this solemn day that…

We are Not Giving Up. We are, instead, looking up.

Christian prayers being offered in and for Iran right now...

Lectio 365 is a free daily prayer app with morning, midday & night devotionals. Rooted in Scripture and trusted by thousands worldwide.

09/11/2026

The second tower of the World Trade Center explodes into flames after being hit by an airplane, New York September 11, 2001 with the Brooklyn Bridge in the foreground. REUTERS/Sara K. Schwittek

Reading through the Bible…Proverbs 10-12/II Corinthians 4

We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken….

Paul writes these words almost 2000 years ago. He well could have “papryussed” them on September 11, 2001.

Today we remember 9-11.

Today, I remember Paul (formerly known as Saul) as well.

Saul was right there, congratulating the killers. (Acts 7:60)…All this time Saul was breathing down the necks of the Master’s disciples, out for the kill. He went to the Chief Priest and got arrest warrants to take to the meeting places in Damascus so that if he found anyone there belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)

Saul holds the coats of Stephen’s killers at the end of chapter seven. Then, at the beginning of chapter nine, he’s out for more blood. His religious convictions are compelling him to kill Christians.

Then, something happens.

Groups of Christians start to act. The first believers in Jesus respond with daily prayer. At least three times a day, they gather: “these men are not drunk, it’s only 9:00 AM in the morning (Acts 2:15). Peter, James and John go up to the temple at the time of prayer 3:00 PM (Acts 3:1). Later Peter goes up to the rooftop to pray at noontime (Acts 10:9).

Peter, along with the early church, times his prayers perfectly. Because noontime is…

When something happens.

At noontime, God’s people pray for Saul their persecutor as Jesus commands: When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer (Matthew 5:44). At noontime, Saul (soon to become the Apostle Paul) sees the light. Then, at noontime, he starts his journey to becoming a light to the Gentiles.

Writing…

Saul kills Christians. Osama bin Laden kills Americans.

I’m not implying that their actions are equal in impact. I am wondering, however, if the early church’s response to Saul might carry with it some clues for how we might most effectively respond to terrorism today.

Nothing justifies the persecution by Saul of countless Christians in his day. Nothing could possibly justify the horrific events of 9-11. Still, how we might want to respond today on this 9-11 anniversary?

Timothy Snyder in his substack article today suggests how politicans could have, perhaps should have, responded in 2001…

The basic American policy response to 9/11 should have been to liberate ourselves from fossil fuels. Without our dependence on oil, we would never have been entangled in the Middle East in the first place. Most of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudis, citizens of an oil kingdom that we helped to build, our “ally.” The right reaction in September 2001 -- as I wrote to a friend in the White House -- was to fund fusion and other clean energy sources. Had we done so, we could have headed off global warming, prevented further Middle East wars -- and indeed prevented the rise of Vladimir Putin’s hydrocarbon oligarchy and his invasions of Ukraine.

I think he’s right. Still, how might people of the book in particular (Jews, Muslims and Christians) want to respond today?

I say pray!

You could argue that the early christians pray because it’s all that they can do. They don’t have a military like ours. They can’t send destroyers to the Strait of Hormuz.

Perhaps.

I wonder, though, even if it’s not all we can do, if it still might be a good thing to do.

Building…

This year 9-11 falls toward the end of a Global Week of Prayer.

https://www.24-7prayer.com/weekofprayer/

Thousands of people this week globally are choosing to look up, rather than giving up. Similar choices are being made locally. Christians around the world (including me) are using a new app to model the early church rhythms of prayer.

https://lectio365.com/

I can’t imagine that, whether intentionally or not, bombing a school and killing innocent children is going to do much to change Sauls into Pauls. Can you? Prayerfully starting a school just might, however.

We can do better globally. We can do better locally. Let’s decide, on this solemn day that…

We are Not Giving Up. We are, instead, looking up.

*starting at noontime today and continuing for 24 hours, there will be christians worldwide praying in and for Iran
https://www.elam.com/

09/10/2026

My late wife Jeannette and her mother Myrna with “unveiled faces” on our wedding day July 5, 1980

Reading through the Bible…Proverbs 8-9/II Corinthians 3

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (II Corinthians 3:18 NIV)

Paul, in this passage, harkens back to when Moses comes down from Mount Sinai with the ten commandments in hand. Moses’ face radiates from His encounter with the Living God.

After the people inform him of his shiny face, he chooses to avail himself to a veil. Moses keeps his face covered when with the people. Then, he unveils his face when he speaks with God. (Exodus 34:29-35)

Paul suggests that Moses’ experience of unveiled conversation with God is now made possible through Jesus Christ. We can ALL with unveiled faces, literally see God in the face of Jesus. We ALL, according to Paul, can somehow have a person to person, face to face, relationship with God.

Paul believes it because Paul experiences it. No mask or veil for Paul on the road to Damascus. He encounters the blinding light of Jesus. He contemplates the Lord’s glory.

Paul’s blindness after seeing Jesus’ bright light on the road to Damascus serves as his veil. He wears it until Ananais takes it off (Acts 9:10-19).

After Ananais heals Paul of his blindness, Paul remains unveiled in his focus on the face Jesus. He doesn’t have to put the veil back on to protect a glory that is decreasing. Instead, he contemplates his way into an ever increasing glory.

Paul beholds Jesus and increasingly becomes more like the One that he beholds.

Writing…

We have an aging eighty year old president who keeps trying to give himself AI face lifts. I understand. My face at sixty eight could use some face lifting as well.

The Apostle Paul will remind us in his next chapter that our outer nature is wasting away. When we look at ourselves in a mirror we can all see a fading glory.

Still, we can go through life trying to veil from others what we believe to be our own decreasing physical beauty. Or we can, with unveiled faces, focus on the beauty of Jesus’ reflection in the faces of each person around us.

My tip for today for Trump.

Building…

My article begins with a picture of Jeannette and her mother both with unveiled faces. It snapshots the moment before Jeannette will start walking down the aisle of the chapel at Western Theological Seminary with a veil covering her face.

Moses veils his face to keep the Israelites from seeing his fading radiance. Jeannette veils her face, at least in my eyes, to prepare me for the unveiling of an ever increasing glory.

I wish I could describe for you how it feels, when Jeannette removes her veil. Then, when we seal our marriage commitments with…a kiss.

Does our marriage go all down the mountain from there? I don’t think so. There are certainly times when Jeannette’s beauty gets veiled from my eyes. I see her wrinkles in time as does she mine.

Faces age. Faithful love, however, endures.

If beauty remains in the eye of the beholder, as I believe it does, I see an ever increasing beauty in Jeannette…

as I do, even more profoundly, in another One whose name also starts with J.

09/09/2026

*Illustration of the “Midas Touch” (source unknown to me)

Reading through the Bible: Proverbs 1-7/II Corinthians 2

Sell everything and buy Wisdom! (4:7)

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Mark 10:21-22)

Solomon and my Savior Jesus both offer investment advice. Let’s take it in two parts.

First…Sell.

Why? Because the more (money) you get, the less (human) you are. (Proverbs 1:19)

The Midas myth illustrates.

In a version told by Nathaniel Hawthorne in A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys (1852), Midas's daughter, Marygold, comes to him, upset about the roses that had lost their fragrance and become hard. When he reaches out to comfort her, he finds that when he touches his daughter, she turns to gold as well.

Solomon and the Savior counsel us to sell what we have for the same reason that Midas eventually gives his Midas touch back. They know what wealth can do to us and to the people around us.

Wealth can make us and the people we touch less human. We can lose our fragrance, become untouchable, unfeeling, cold as gold.

So, Solomon and the Savior say sell. Then what?

Second…Invest.

Solomon says invest in person-ified Wisdom. Jesus person-ifies the poor. They both suggest that we exchange our purse for persons, our riches for relationships. “Get wisdom from your relationship with God”, they say. “Get riches in heaven by investing in relationships with the poor.”

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done" (Proverbs 19:17)'

Writing…

Jesus’ encounter with the rich man gets recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels. Mark alone records Jesus’ attitude towards the rich man. Jesus looked at him and loved him.

I have to believe, even though part of me doesn’t want to, I have to believe that Jesus looks on the richest businessman in the world, together with arguably the most powerful politician, and Jesus loves these two too.

To be clear, neither of them seem to have had, may never have, “come to Jesus moments” like the rich man. If they were to, however, I imagine Jesus might say something like this to them:

“Elon & Donald, you both seem to have a Midas touch. Are you sure you want to keep it? Have you noticed what it is doing to your personal relationships? Have you considered the lucre loving and hate mongering impact your actions are having on the world stage?”

The author of Hebrews might even add this reminder: it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27 KJV) The author might then ask: “Have you considered that you will die. Do you know that when you die you will have to answer for how you have treated the poor?”

Building…

I have admitted before that I peronally struggle with Jesus’ Investment Advice. I am that rich man (in comparison to the rest of the world) who comes to Jesus. I don’t want to go away sad. Still, I also don’t see how I can give everything away.

Solomon helps me with this Proverb. Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. (Proverbs 3:7) I can’t practically see myself selling everything I own. I can, however, in each and every day, seek to honor God by giving him my first and best.

You can too.

That’s my Investment Advice…for what it’s worth :)

09/08/2026

https://mobilize.us/s/2DJNP9

09/08/2026

*Comforter Jeannette with comforted children (a picture of a picture taken over thirty five years ago)

Reading through the Bible: Proverbs 3-5/II Corinthians 1

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (II corinthians 1:3-5 NIV)

For the Apostle, there is a Heavenly Parent who comforts us and who equips us to comfort others. How does God do it? Paul believes that God comforts us in and through Jesus.

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

In Jesus, we have a High Priest who doesn’t stand aloof. He suffers alongside us (the literal meaning of the Greek word Paul uses for comfort-parakletos). He is able to empathize with us in our weakness. He is able to parakletos those who are troubled.

Writing…

We have a High Priest who is able to empathize. We do not, however, have such a President.

Tomorrow begins"Trumpapalooza"—the first-ever Republican National Convention held during a midterm election year—Dallas, Texas will play the host. for two days.

Our President hopes it will be a time for the whole country to approach HIS throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I’m not buying what the President is selling, are you?

He may be my President but he will never be my High Priest. Let him lose a son to brain cancer like former President Biden. Then, maybe we might have something to talk about.

Seems to me like it’s time for all of us to stop drawing near to a President who is clearly unable to empathize and start drawing near to a High Priest who can.

How in the world as we supposed to do that? How do we draw near to Jesus’ throne of grace? Millions will be getting there this week simply by declaring His Name. Simply by saying “Jesus. Help”.

Today at noontime, I will be joining in, saying with Christians in Canada “Jesus. Help.” While President and Prime Minister fight. We will pray.

You can join us at…https://www.24-7prayer.com/weekofprayer/

Building…

We can find comfort globally. We can find a paraklete personally. I send the picture of my two children to my two children late last night. I want to make sure that they are OK with my posting it.

They are.

In my email, I admit that I wish my late wife Jeannette was still here to comfort each of us, to parakletos like Jeannette used to do for our children.

She’s not.

Still, Someone else is. I have, you have, a High Priest who is able to empathize. We can be covered with a Holy Comforter…

Loved ones may be gone. Our President may be lost in his own Truth Social narcissism. Still, you and I are not alone.

Let’s join a world of people this week who are praying, “Jesus. Help.”

Let’s be comforted. Let’s be comforters.

09/07/2026

Birthday kisses for my late brother Jim from Jeannette and Nancy February 6, 2014. It makes my brother smile. It makes me smile too.

Reading…Proverbs 1-2/I Corinthians 16

All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. (I Corinthians 16:20)

Paul’s recommended greeting amounts to more than just a “say hello to…” Paul encourages an Aspazomai a salute or even an embrace.

For Paul and for Peter before him, this represents a change in how they interact with strangers. Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear…Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! (John 18:10-11)

Peter has a sword for strangers. He spazoes (Greek word for drawing a sword) the servant rather than aspazos. I suspect Paul, prior to his conversion, may have spazosed some strangers as well.

Jesus says to them both, put your sword away. Instead of drawing a sword out of your sheath, I want you to draw people into your arms. Instead of protection for yourself, I want you share affection with others.

Paul gets even more personal with the church in Rome. I count 26 different names mentioned in Romans 16 that Paul wants to make sure get greeted, from Priscilla to Olympus. He specifies who they are and what they have done. Then he concludes with the admonition that each should be greeted with a holy kiss. (v.16). That’s a lot of names and a lot of kisses.

Paul recommends a PDA (Public Display of Affection). Better yet, he suggests reciprocal PDA.

He doesn’t expect us to simply gratify a desire. Instead, he wants believers to show a mutual expression of devotion towards each other, a kiss that might make the other person smile (Kind of like my picture of my late brother Jim).

Writing…

We don’t see many PDAs in our politics, lately. I’m not holding out for kisses. I do, however, want to highlight a hug.

In the picture below, Haley Stevens, after a hard fought battle in the primaries, hugs her opponent Abdul El-Sayed. Is it forced? Perhaps.

Is it an admission for Haley of defeat. I don’t think so. I think, rather that it’s a Public Display of Affection. It’s what it looks like to draw someone close rather than draw a sword.

Yea, you say, but they are both in the same party. It’s a lot harder to hug across an aisle of bitter disagreements.

True enough. What about just a handshake?

The handshake, according to a quick google search, originated in ancient times as a physical sign of peace to show that an extended hand held no hidden weapons.

What if Republicans and Democrats were simply to extend an open hand across the aisle? What if we simply let go of some of our hidden weapons?

Building…

We could do more in our politics. We could to more in other places?

All of my (three) brothers are gone to heaven. Jim, centered in my opening picture is the last to go. Needless to say, we don’t, as brothers, greet each other with holy kisses.

I can’t tell you, however, how much I would give for one more hug. My parents, my siblings, my wife…all gone. I miss my PDAs from my family of origin.

I could have given more kisses, hugs or even handshakes in my family. So, I’m trying to make up for it it my Mamily. That is sometimes what we call the congregation of Maple Avenue Ministries Church.

We take seven minutes (count them) during our Sunday services to obey Paul’s reciprocal command. Some hug. Some handshake. Some fist pump. Others just wave. (see picture below)

We greet one another…and it makes me smile.

Find a place of embrace. Extend a hand across an aisle or a pew.

It just might make you smile too.

09/07/2026

Birthday kisses for my late brother Jim from Jeannette and Nancy February 6, 2014. It makes my brother smile. It makes me smile too.

Reading…Proverbs 1-2/I Corinthians 16

All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. (I Corinthians 16:20)

Paul’s recommended greeting amounts to more than just a “say hello to…” Paul encourages an Aspazomai a salute or even an embrace.

For Paul and for Peter before him, this represents a change in how they interact with strangers. Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear…Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! (John 18:10-11)

Peter has a sword for strangers. He spazoes (Greek word for drawing a sword) the servant rather than aspazos. I suspect Paul, prior to his conversion, may have spazosed some strangers as well.

Jesus says to them both, put your sword away. Instead of drawing a sword out of your sheath, I want you to draw people into your arms. Instead of protection for yourself, I want you share affection with others.

Paul gets even more personal with the church in Rome. I count 26 different names mentioned in Romans 16 that Paul wants to make sure get greeted, from Priscilla to Olympus. He specifies who they are and what they have done. Then he concludes with the admonition that each should be greeted with a holy kiss. (v.16). That’s a lot of names and a lot of kisses.

Paul recommends a PDA (Public Display of Affection). Better yet, he suggests reciprocal PDA.

He doesn’t expect us to simply gratify a desire. Instead, he wants believers to show a mutual expression of devotion towards each other, a kiss that might make the other person smile (Kind of like my picture of my late brother Jim).

Writing…

We don’t see many PDAs in our politics, lately. I’m not holding out for kisses. I do, however, want to highlight a hug.

In the picture above, Haley Stevens, after a hard fought battle in the primaries, hugs her opponent Abdul El-Sayed. Is it forced? Perhaps.

Is it an admission for Haley of defeat. I don’t think so. I think, rather that it’s a Public Display of Affection. It’s what it looks like to draw someone close rather than draw a sword.

Yea, you say, but they are both in the same party. It’s a lot harder to hug across an aisle of bitter disagreements.

True enough. What about just a handshake?

The handshake, according to a quick google search, originated in ancient times as a physical sign of peace to show that an extended hand held no hidden weapons.

What if Republicans and Democrats were simply to extend an open hand across the aisle? What if we simply let go of some of our hidden weapons?

Building…

We could do more in our politics. We could to more in other places?

All of my (three) brothers are gone to heaven. Jim, centered in my opening picture is the last to go. Needless to say, we don’t, as brothers, greet each other with holy kisses.

I can’t tell you, however, how much I would give for one more hug. My parents, my siblings, my wife…all gone. I miss my PDAs from my family of origin.

I could have given more kisses, hugs or even handshakes in my family. So, I’m trying to make up for it it my Mamily. That is sometimes what we call the congregation of Maple Avenue Ministries Church.

We take seven minutes (count them) during our Sunday services to obey Paul’s reciprocal command. Some hug. Some handshake. Some fist pump. Others just wave.

We greet one another…and it makes me smile.

Find a place of embrace. Extend a hand across an aisle or a pew.

It just might make you smile too.

09/05/2026

*My father and me on a trip to Los Angeles celebrating my 60th and his 90th birthday, along with son Sam’s 30th. (Sam is not pictured here, just a lifeguard)

What prompts a politician to run for office? What prompts a citizen to vote for them? To idiomatize. Why would Theodore Roosevelt say in 1912 that he was putting his hat in the ring to run for president, Why would the majority of voters in his day, then pull his name out of that hat?

Reading through the Bible…Psalm 146-7/I Corinthians 15

9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (I Corinthians 15:9-10)

Paul puts his hat in the ring to be an Apostle because he has been knocked of his high horse. He minds his own business on the way to persecuting Christians in Damascus when he sees the light and hears Jesus ask him, Saul (he would become Paul) Saul why are you persecuting me?

Saul knows that he doesn’t deserve the position of Apostle. He is committed however, to a purpose. He will Labor Day harder than anyone to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. The grace of God towards him is not without effect.

He knows, as the saying goes, that God doesn’t call the qualified. God qualifies the called. He knows that he is not alone.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him (I Corinthians 1:26ff)

Paul puts his hat in the ring humbly. But why, given his history, would people pull his name out of that hat.

They don’t.

Paul doesn’t get elected by his peers as an Apostle. Before God can choose Paul as the twelth apostle, the others choose Matthias instead.

After Judas deserts them, they believe that it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us. (acts 1:21) So, they literally pull Matthias’ name out of a hat.

The leaders of the church choose to fill a position, rather than choosing to fulfill a purpose. They jump the gun. How do I know? Because we hear nothing of Matthias after he gets appointed.

Writing…

Elections are upon us. First the primaries, then the general election on Tuesday, November 3rd. It is necessary that we vote. It is necessary that we vote, not just to fill a position, but to carry out a God given purpose.

What purpose do you want your politicians to serve? What platform do you favor?

Let me tell you mine. Since I am a follower of Jesus, I intend to vote for candidates who follow the platform that he lays out at the Synagogue in Nazareth at the beginning of his candidacy for the position of Savior of the world:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19 KJV-God Bless the USA Bible)

Building…

I thank God for every politicians who puts their hat in the ring:

Republican (that’s my dad in the picture) Democrat (that’s me in the picture). Independant or unknown third party (that’s the life guard).

It’s not easy, unfortunately, it’s not cheap, to run for public office. Thanks to all of you who are running, and I mean running, right now.

For the rest of us, however, let me offer this challenge. Don’t you want to do more than pick names out of a hat? I hope so. I hope you will do more than fill a position with your vote. I hope you will further a God honoring purpose.

No matter what hat you wear, your vote could mean the difference between us getting an Apostle Paul or an inconsequential Matthias.