In our reactionary world I often wonder what someone was thinking when they made a major decision that is not just counterintuitive to God’s kingdom, but their own wellbeing and beliefs. Total depravity is sometimes skewed as to think that people are evil, know they are evil, and are consciously making the most evil choice possible. But most, if not all, people don’t know they are totally depraved, are only acting in their own self-interest, and they genuinely think that they are making right choices (confer Proverbs 20:6, 1 Corinthians 2:8).
Chaplain, what keeps you from making the same mistakes
(and/or sins)? Why are your decisions more righteous in your eyes than the bad
decisions you see made every day? In one sense it’s because good trees make
good fruit (Matthew 7:17-19, Galatians 5:22-24), but we ought not presume that
just because the Holy Spirit lives in us we will always make good decisions
(Romans 7:21-8:1).
Jared Wilson says, “Pastors are paid to stare out the
window.” An obvious play on words, he doesn’t want us to mindlessly watch
what’s outside our study, but to engage in deep thought about what matters
most. Our stakes are too high to play fast and loose with decisions that have
eternal consequences, so much as it is in our control we must be right in our
words and actions. This requires deep thought, intentional research, and prayer
to ensure we’re acting in accordance with what Christ has commanded us in his
Word.
We are prepared to make many of those decisions because we’ve
had to think deeply about seminary topics, but becoming a chaplain confronts you
with things you probably never saw in the classroom. What can you anticipate in your future, chaplain? How can
you think now about hard topics so that when they arise you will be ready to
share the hope that is in you, Christ in you, the hope of glory?
We cannot
play at preaching, we preach for eternity. ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Key Verse: Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things. ~ Philippians 4:8
More:
1. President Teddy Roosevelt was known for concerning his
cabinet with what seemed like brash and rushed decisions on topics of huge importance.
However, it became apparent that he had already thought through many of those
decisions and only had to give his decision at the time of presentation. He
said, “Make preparations in advance. You’ll never have trouble if you are
prepared for it.” At another time he said, “In any moment of decision, the best
thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing,
and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Chaplain, the best way to do nothing is to be
caught unawares, unprepared to offer wisdom or action. How do you prepare for
action? You ready yourself.
2. Aesop tells of a boar observed by a fox in the forest. The
boar is sharpening his tusks, which worries the fox; the fox soon realizes that
there is no immediate danger and ridicules the boar. The boar announces that
when danger is present, he won’t have time to sharpen his tusks. How can you
sharpen your tusks now before you need them? What do you need to think deeply
about?
4. Chaplains, when they arrive on station, are given an office.
What a chaplain needs is not an office, but a study. How can you change your
office into a study? Is the space you’ve been given conducive to stare out the
window (figurative or literal) and think? How can you make it more-so?
5. Further Resources:
A topic that you can’t wait to happen before you find
answers:
Shearer, Canyon R. "Hope in the Loss of a Baby." Trust and
Obey. April 4, 2020. https://trustobey.blogspot.com/2020/04/hope-in-loss-of-baby.html
Wilson, Jared C. “Pastors Are Paid to Stare Out the Window.”
For the Church. April 3, 2023. Accessed 26 March, 2025. https://ftc.co/resource-library/blog-entries/pastors-are-paid-to-stare-out-the-window/
Broadus, John A. On the
Preparation and Delivery of Sermons. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1944.
Comfort, Ray. Think on These Things: Wisdom for Life from Proverbs. Savage, MN: Broadstreet Publishing, 2017.
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