V.I.P.'s

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!  Your glory is higher than the heavens.  You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?  Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority—the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!   Psalms 8:1-9 (NLT)

In 1991 just after the Gulf Storm ended, Elizabeth and I sat in the 3^rd row of Atlanta’s Convention Center, and we were close enough to see the dimple on President George Bush’s face as he shed a tear while telling about the tough decision to send troops into harm’s way.

Saw Billy Graham, Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea from a distance in 1984 during the Orlando crusade.  I’ve met a few V.I.P.’s, their relative importance varied in terms of worldly standards. 

In 1997 I met Lawton Chiles, Governor of Florida, and had his attention for about 2 ½ minutes.  He had come to the town I where I was serving a church as pastor.  The “locals” knew the Governor by his nickname, Walkin’ Lawton. He had earned the name by walking across 1,003 miles of Florida in 3 months during the 1970 campaign for the U.S. Senate (which he won).  He was re-elected to the Senate twice, and later to the top seat in Tallahassee for two terms. 

I met this important man because he was a friend of a friend who was opening a new store in our town.  He was there to cut the ribbon, but only after I prayed.  He had to follow me. 

Our conversation for 2 ½ minutes consisted of him asking me thoughtful, compassionate questions; he said, Tell me about what this town is like, and its good people, and their troubles.  That was classic “Walkin’ Lawton” – always interested in people.

My response was something like, Shazaam…you’re him; you’re the governor ain’t ya?  (I’m not exactly accustomed to walking in the rarefied air of high society!)

But, the fact is I’ve met lots of people who are just as important as a Florida Governor; in reality they are even more important in the eyes of God.  Their worth is without measure; evaluated by Holy Scripture as “just a little lower than God”.  We are all of inestimable worth in the eyes of the Heavenly Father.

And the most important person I’ve ever met is Jesus Christ, God of the universe who cares to know me, in the sense that, even before I was born, he knew all about me – my sin, my joys, my sorrows, and, still, he chose to know me and love me, enough to die in my place for my sins, and identify with me from the inside-out.  He chooses to take up residence in me. 

Now THAT’S what I call important!

For You, Today…

You may not meet a rock star, or a governor or president today.  But chances are you will come face-to-face with another person God holds in high esteem.  He or she could be a homeless child, or a billionaire.  It might be a schoolteacher or neighbor, or a mentally-challenged kid who stocks groceries at the market.

And, in that human being, resides the presence of Almighty God.

Be impressed; be very impressed – you’ve met a very important person.