Thanksgiving Surprise

David Stockton asked me to preach at Living Streams on the theme of Thanksgiving. As I prepared the message, I was blessed to think about being thankful. I had recently given a sermon called, “The Roots of Insanity,” about the pride that cost King Nebuchadnezzar his Babylonian kingdom for seven years. It’s not that fun to meditate on pride and insanity in an election year.

At the request of another pastor, I preached on “Generous Giving and Deadly Deception,” contrasting the generosity of the believers in Acts 4 with the financial deception and deaths of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. This was another sobering topic.

I was David’s pastor when his parents joined our church in Novato when he was one year old. His parents helped us plant Living Streams in Phoenix when he was six years old. He grew into a mature man of God and I called him in Oregon after he graduated from college and invited him to become our youth pastor. We worked together for fourteen years before he transitioned to become the lead pastor—and my pastor—at Living Streams.

David is secure and wise enough to give me counsel when I need it. He listens to my advice for the church and applies it, if he thinks it’s helpful. There are some great multi-site mega churches in our Valley. However, I’m thankful for having a pastor who knows my name, shows up at the hospital when we have a family crisis and speaks truth to my heart with love.

One point in my message came from I Timothy 2, where Paul says we should pray with thanksgiving for all people, including those in authority over us. As I talked with a friend on a recent hike, I shared a story about respecting authority.

Years ago, Living Streams was hosting Grace Association, a monthly pastor’s meeting, where I introduced myself to a visitor. He told me he came to our meeting because he was the community relations officer with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. I had been frustrated for years with Joe Arpaio, our county sheriff, so I told him how I felt.

“I don’t like the fact that Sheriff Arpaio sends his deputies to arrest immigrants on Sunday mornings as they drive to church with their families. He also makes the men in the jail wear pink underpants and eat green baloney for one of their two daily meals. I think he is needlessly antagonizing the prisoners and they will become a greater danger to our community when they get released.”

He listened politely and then asked, “Would you like me to set up an appointment with you and the sheriff so you can tell him what you think?”

I felt like he had called my bluff. I realized I was talking behind the sheriff’s back and I should either have the courage to say what I thought to his face, or I should keep my mouth shut.

I swallowed hard and replied, “Sure. I would be glad to speak with the sheriff.”

A couple of weeks later, the officer met me in the lobby at 550 W. Jackson Street and accompanied me up the elevator to the fifth floor of the sheriff’s headquarters. We walked past a guard and into a spacious office with pictures and plaques on the walls. On the far wall at the end of the rectangular room was an American flag and an Arizona flag behind a large desk where the sheriff was sitting.

As I approached, Sheriff Joe stood up and stretched out his hand, “Welcome Pastor Buckley. I hear you have some concerns about me. Before you get started, I would like to tell you a little about myself. Please take a seat.”

I shook his hand and sat down in front of his desk.

“Pastor, 81 years ago there was a young wife in Springfield, Massachusetts who had serious complications with her pregnancy. She was counseled to get an abortion because her life was in danger. She didn’t believe in abortion, so she decided to have her baby and take her chances. She died while giving birth. Pastor, that baby was me. I am here today because my mother had the courage and love to bring me into this world at the cost of her own life. I have always been against abortion. I thought you might like to know that.”

I realized I was talking to a bold and smart man. He had disarmed me before I opened my mouth. Sheriff Joe then looked me in the eye as I explained my concerns about the need for his department to treat inmates and immigrants with dignity and respect.
I don’t know if our talk brought any more compassion to the people in our jails or to those who were getting arrested in the Sunday immigration stops down the street from their churches. However, our meeting was good for me.

It was a reminder that the Lord puts people he chooses in authority and there is often more depth to them than I can understand from reading about them in the newspaper. It was a reminder to show respect to authorities with whom I disagree on issues. I’m hoping they will show more respect to those they oversee, so I need to show respect for them.

I believe it is good to vigorously debate the issues and the political positions of the candidates who run for office. However, once our elections are over, it is vital that we pray and intercede for our leaders as Paul says, with thanksgiving.

If you want a good marriage, be thankful for your spouse, appreciating who she is rather than being frustrated for what she is not. If you want to positively influence your spouse, your children, or your friends, be thankful for them. Otherwise, your judgments will frustrate them and cause a barrier between you.

Let’s pray for the current administration as well and the incoming one. Let’s give thanks that we live in a prosperous nation where almost everyone who is willing to work can find a job, food and housing. Let’s pray that our leaders will make wise choices as they seek to shape our economy and protect our nation.
If our leaders are guided by God’s wisdom and grace, we will all benefit, regardless of our political persuasion. The gospel flourishes in a climate where the church can grow in peace.
We recently had a neighborhood Thanksgiving party. Most years, one of our neighbors hosts a party and invites everyone who lives on our street. It is a great time for us to connect, catch up and get to know new neighbors. At our first neighborhood party twenty years ago, Kristina and I were told a surprising story about our house.

On Thanksgiving weekend in 1985, bandits broke into our house, which was then the home of the Marks family. They took the dad, Richard, and his family hostage. Richard was the manager of a Valley National Bank branch in Phoenix. They wanted him to take them to the bank and open the vault

Richard told them the vault was on a timer and it could not be opened until Friday morning. So, the bandits decided to spend the next two nights with the Marks family. Mrs. Marks fixed a big Thanksgiving dinner and they all ate together that night and the next day.

Early Friday morning when the vault opened, they drove Richard to the bank where they robbed the vault. The bandits escaped with the money, only to be captured months later.

Richard and his wife were shaken up, but nobody was harmed. They had fulfilled Jesus’ words, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him.”

The year after we heard the story about this adventure, we were blessed with unexpected visitors on Halloween. Among the many trick-or-treaters who rang our doorbell, two costumed little children came to our door with their mother. She introduced herself and told us she was from the Marks family and was a young girl living in our house when they were taken hostage. She now lived in north Phoenix asked if we would allow her and her children to see the inside of our house?

We welcomed them in and gave them a tour. Her children were enthralled to see the house where the bandits had captured their mother before they were born.

They came back the next several Halloweens as well. We always invited them in and talked with them about the Lord. They loved Jesus and made a special trip to join us at Living Streams one Sunday. What the enemy had meant for evil, God used for good, because our hearts have been knit together by the Lord.

None of us knows what the future holds. We do know that God works everything together for good for those who love him. So, let’s have faith and be thankful.