Bonnie Tyler had a top 40 hit in the 1980s with the song “Holding Out for a Hero.” The lyrics ask:

Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the gods?

Where’s the street-wise Hercules to fight the rising odds?

Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?

Late at night, I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need.

The chorus adds:

I need a hero … I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night.

He’s gotta be strong and he’s gotta be fast and he’s gotta be fresh from the fight.

I need a hero … I’m holding out ‘til the morning light.

He’s gotta be sure, and it’s gotta be soon, and he’s gotta be larger than life…

Heroes are those who are characterized by strength, daring and courageous exploits. Marvel and D.C. comics have created superheroes that may seem weak momentarily in the contest against evildoers, but they always gain the upper hand and come out on top. Real life heroes are those people who can do for us what we often cannot do for ourselves. They may even make the ultimate sacrifice, and give their lives to defend or aid their fellow man.

As we prepare to remember and celebrate the passion of our Savior, we consider Him to be our hero. But Jesus is a hero of a different sort because His victory did not occur through His physical dominance over His enemies. In fact, even though the Biblical Hebrews of His day were anxiously awaiting the arrival of their promised Messiah, they ultimately rejected Jesus because He did not fit the pattern of an expected hero. They were looking for a military general, similar to King David, who would defeat their foes and restore them to prominence as a people.

Instead, Jesus seemingly ignored the cruelty of Rome, but focused on the spirit and behavior of His people. He won the crowds with His preaching and miracles, but angered the Pharisees and priests with His disregard for their traditions. In the end, He was brutalized, mocked and humiliated through crucifixion. He was made to suffer unjustly, and then put to death. Yet, He was victorious, despite His suffering and through His suffering. His death resulted in salvation. He is the ultimate hero, one who willingly gave His life for the good of mankind.

His suffering and death were predicted centuries before His arrival. Genesis 3:15 is believed to be a Messianic pronouncement pointing to the crucifixion of Jesus. The serpent is cursed for deceiving Adam and Eve, and God informs him “I will put enmity between you and the woman. And between your seed and her Seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Psalm 22:16-18 foreshadows scenes at the cross. “For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”

Isaiah 53:3 graphically describes the anticipated Messiah as a suffering servant. “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”

Heroes are usually celebrated for their actions. Though the majority of His day rejected Him, countless believers today faithfully acknowledge and serve Jesus for His sacrifice. He is our Savior and Hero.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

The flight deck door flung open. A crazed man towered in the entryway wielding a knife at the throat of a helpless flight attendant. Training took over as I swung around while unholstering my service weapon, took aim and stopped the threat.

“Good shots,” declared my firearms instructor. “Care to know where you hit?”

I lowered my weapon. It had the same look and feel as a real firearm only, instead of using live rounds, the pistol was equipped with a muzzle-mounted laser which, upon trigger pull, sends an invisible pulse of light from the barrel to the target. A large computer simulation screen, located behind the mock flight deck, detected each of my shots with realistic ballistic accuracy. Everything about the scenario felt real; but, it was only training; it was pretend.

Honestly, I had no recollection of how many shots I fired before pausing to reassess the threat. I was stupefied that, while only a simulation experience, my brain had jettisoned the memory of the number of trigger pulls. I was at the mercy of my training — rote. Much to my satisfaction, having been coached by some of the best federal firearms instructors in the nation, I learned the only casualty was the simulated perp. I had reacted as desired, going through the motions that I’d been taught.

To this day, the power of pretend continues to amaze me. It’s probably why I love movies. The motion picture industry has long leveraged the concept of “suspension of disbelief” allowing the viewer to become immersed in stories absent of reality. They know it’s pretend; but, in the moment, like my simulation experience, it’s real.

Yet, a paradox exists. While pretend is necessary, it has crept into our faith. God, speaking to the people of Judah in Isaiah 29:13, said, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” In short: Going through the motions — pretending.

While we cerebrally understand that true worship permeates from our full dependency on God, we give “lip service” when we pretend to have it all together, that we are healthy apart from Christ. In Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, author John Piper says, “The difference between Uncle Sam and Jesus Christ is that Uncle Sam won’t enlist you in his service unless you are healthy and Jesus won’t enlist you unless you are sick.” Mark 2:17 affirms this when Jesus said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor — sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

My plea: Follow the instruction of Psalm 123:2 in that we “keep looking to the Lord our God for His mercy.” Christ compared the church to a hospital for good reason. If you break your leg, you don’t pretend you are fine. Conversely, while in a hospital with, let’s say, a nail through your hand, you don’t complete the paperwork as if all is well.

Let us stop pretending, no matter how real it feels, and return to the true heart of worship, with arms raised accepting His power and grace, our need of Him. In Mathew 11:28-30, Christ says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” We can remove the burden of pretending — as if we’d ever be able to measure up — with our soul finding rest in the assurance of salvation, believing that our righteousness is freely given because of the real sacrifice of our savior: Jesus.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain, and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments, he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

I recently attended a concert in Delray Beach that featured the harmonious excellence of the Legato Vocal Ensemble. The gifted group of mostly African American singers and musicians delivered a powerful performance to a full house at Church of the Palms. The first half of the concert included traditional arrangements of some classic hymns, such as “Come Thou Fount” and “A Wonderful Savior”. A stirring rendition of the spiritual “Elijah Rock” drew vigorous applause from the racially-diverse audience. It also caused me to reflect upon the power of song and faith in the history of Negroes in America.

It is well-documented that slaves found comfort and hope in the Christian faith, often expressing both in the moving spirituals that were part of their worship gatherings. Though many songs were passed down orally, making it difficult to identify the original composers, they possess an enduring appeal that stirs the soul of any generation. Songs like “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”, “Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham”, and “Steal Away to Jesus” provided solace and strength to a people who identified with the plight of Abraham’s descendants in Egyptian bondage. It is even known that some spirituals also served as protest songs that inspired and informed about the path to freedom in the north.

Later songs like “Oh, Freedom” and “We Shall Overcome” carried on the tradition of hope during the Civil Rights Movement. Many of the leaders of the movement, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Andrew Young, Rev. Joseph Lowery and Rev. Jesse Jackson were men who came from the church motivated by convictions that were shaped by their faith.

To this day, numerous churches can be found in any community with a preponderance of black residents. This attests to the powerful role that faith plays in the life of African Americans, who sing and worship with passion in the average black church on any given Sunday.

Negro faith predates slavery in America, despite the negative stereotypes of a superstitious and pagan people as portrayed in films about Africans. Church history has documented that the Christian faith was firmly established in North Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia as it expanded from Jerusalem in the first century. In fact, the churches in North Africa and Ethiopia were the leading churches in the second century. It has been argued that many of the church fathers, such as Clement, Origen, Athanasius and Augustine, were men of African descent.

These facts are to be appreciated and celebrated as we observe Black History Month. Undergirding the achievement of many individuals of color was a faith that inspired them to stand firm while striving upward and longing for a better day. It was a faith that trusted God’s promises of deliverance and blessing. It was a faith that inspired them to believe that they were worth far more than what their circumstances indicated. It was a faith that helped them to hold on believing that they would see the glory of God.

It is a faith that must be passed on to our children and grandchildren, a faith that will sustain them both now and in the future, a faith expressive of the same sentiment and conviction as that of Moses in Psalm 90:1. “Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.”

During this observance of Black History Month, let us recognize the undeniable and indomitable faith of the Negro.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

Before rising to fame on NBC’s hit show The Voice, or opening for country super-star Toby Keith, or even headlining the Folds of Honor concert series, Corey Kent White, 21, sought a reasonable plan B.

I met Corey in 2011, following a presentation I made to his school about leadership and career exploration. After my talk, Corey found his way back to tap me on my shoulder. He had enjoyed my aviator stories and was eager to ask aviation-related questions. The airline pilot in me was happy to oblige.

That evening we connected via Facebook, where he shared his concern as a 16-year-old searching for direction:

“Pretty much, I am all over the place. I have a few connections in the music biz (and that’s my first love), but I also realize that it’s very difficult to make a living through music and a lot of it has to do with luck. So I am searching for a reasonable plan B.”

Instantly, I knew there was something special about this young man; while most teens are pushing the boundaries of adolescence, Corey was searching for a reasonable plan B.

I invited Corey to meet. We talked about God and what it would look like to scratch plan B and wholeheartedly seek God’s call. He was on board. Still hanging on my refrigerator is the list he wrote of his priorities, with God in the No. 1 spot.

Flash forward: Today, Corey has more than just a “few” connections in the “music biz.” He is making a living pursuing his love of music. He didn’t need luck, and attributes all his success to God. The millions who have bought his music are surely glad he didn’t pursue a “reasonable” plan B.

While it would be easy for him to drop God from the No. 1 spot, as he rides the momentum of his success, it’s Romans 12:1-21 that encapsulates his heart. He understands and applies what it means to give of his body to “be a living and holy sacrifice,” which Romans asserts is the true “way to worship [God].” Corey seeks accountability to keep himself from “[copying] the behavior and customs of this world,” by allowing “God [to] transform [him] into a new person by changing the way [he thinks].” It is this that allows him to confidently know God’s will for him, “which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Corey is humble, honest in his evaluation of self so as to give credit to God over taking it for himself, recognizing that “we are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other” for the glory of God. He knows he’s been given a “special function” (as we all have), and by God’s grace “[He] has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.”

With this understanding, Corey uses his gifts to share the Gospel. He uses his platform to boldly profess the love of Christ to millions. His fruits reveal the passionate pursuit (ironically) not of music, but his call.

How does one with such a fandom and seemingly crowded schedule enthusiastically serve the Lord? Corey begins each day growing closer to God by trading in plan B for a reading plan—Scripture reading. This has allowed his prayer life to evolve from a formal “Dear God of the universe” prayer intro to “Good morning, Father.” Intimately knowing His Father allows him to pray without ceasing during the day, keeping him on track in pursuit of holiness as he seeks to align his life with the Truth found in the Word of God.

In the business of music, much is at stake; but, for Corey, and for each of us in our own right, growing closer to God and knowing who He has called us to become will ensure that we don’t need a reasonable plan B. We can rest in the assurance that the God of the universe is not some far off cosmic ruler, and, as Chris Tomlin sings, “God is a good, good father” and you can trust Him with your future. Just ask Corey Kent White.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

Broadcast producers have found a goldmine in reality-based programming. From the network stations to cable, and even Internet channels, reality television is the flavor of the moment. From popular shows like Real Housewives of (pick your city) to Survivor, The Bachelorette, Dancing with the Stars, Biggest Loser and the Amazing Race, there has been an abundance of programming that is relatively unscripted, unrehearsed and reality-based.

One of my favorites is HGTV’s Property Brothers, where twins Jonathan and Drew guide couples through the process of purchasing and renovating fixer-upper homes. The premise is simple: most couples have a limited budget but an unrestricted wish list. They usually can’t afford the homes that meet all their demands and must pick from several homes that are in their reach but need a lot of work. The brothers have become masters at seeing past ugly paint colors, weird interior layouts and outdated kitchen appliances to imagining, and then producing, magazine-worthy homes that leave the new owners in awe.

The truth is that at one time those fixer-uppers were brand new and appealing. Time, use and wear inevitably took a toll on them, however, leaving them in need of refreshing, renewing and updating. Our lives and experiences, over time, can be such that they leave us weary, worn and dilapidated. Once bursting with energy, passion and zeal, we can look around one day to find ourselves weak, overwhelmed and dispirited. But, like those homes that can be re-imagined and repurposed, there is a potential and possibility that can yet be unleashed in us.

The start of a new year often presents an opportunity to review and renew our lives. Most of us make resolutions in an attempt to make improvements and change for the better. Losing weight, saving more money, giving up bad habits and learning something new are some of the more popular goals that people set for themselves at the beginning of each year. The truth is that we can begin new things or make adjustments at any time, but the first month of a new year provides the added benefit of an emotional boost. Everything seems fresh and most people seem to be filled with optimism about themselves and their prospects for the months ahead.

Opportunities are always around us, but sometimes we focus so much on our obstacles that we fail to notice them. Life doesn’t have to be so adverse that we feel trapped and unfulfilled. Like a dilapidated home that is re-imagined and given new life, we, too, can experience renewal and be refreshed.

Believers know that God is constantly calling us to renewal: spiritual, emotional and sometimes physical. His plans for us are far superior to what we can imagine, and, if we look to Him, we can experience His guidance. As Solomon observed in Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

As this year begins to unfold, be encouraged to embrace the opportunities you have to experience renewal, and to make changes for the better. Include God in your planning and discover the good things He has purposed for you. Begin each day by looking to Him for direction and heeding His instruction. The confident assertion of King David, in Psalm 16:11, is “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” That sounds like a good plan to me. Try it, and may your year be filled with renewed joy, pleasure and fulfillment.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

Ray Romano once said, “As a comedian, you don’t want to upset someone with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). They’ll write you a letter … and another one … and another one … and another one.”

We may laugh, but the reality is that OCD is crippling. People suffering from this condition develop compulsive behaviors in which they become obsessed with performing certain rituals repeatedly to only temporarily find relief from the plaguing anxiety. Simply put: Someone obsessing over their safety may lock and re-lock a door again and again. For many, this is a neurotic condition; they know the repetition is for naught. They understand that they are no safer whether they lock the same lock once or four times over.

If you’ve read this far, you’re either my mom or you’re curious to see what this has to do with Christianity. Allow me to explain.

While not true OCD, I believe many of us have what I like to call OCD Christianity. We’ve latched on to certain obsessions within our faith and have created rituals that help us feel more Christian. And, as with OCD, we recognize these behaviors and still perform them even though we know they do not draw us closer to God. If anything, they weigh us down and distract us from strengthening our personal relationship with Him.

To grasp my abstract thought, track with me through three things we obsess about. One, we obsess about condemnation. We see the world living in sin and think, “Turn or burn.” We use guilt and shame to bring people into the faith. Unfortunately, this approach makes God’s plan small and boring — uninviting and unexciting.

And, naturally, if we begin to obsess over condemnation for others, it’s not long before, two, we obsess about self-preservation — Are we saved? Are we good, God? Check out Luke 3:7, when John the Baptist addressed the Pharisees and Sadducees: “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath?” He pointed out that, just as snakes flee a brush fire to save themselves, these guys were only concerned about self-preservation, believing their rituals would save them. As much as it may pain us to admit, in this case, we probably relate more to the Pharisees and Sadducees than to the recent converts.

Three, we obsess over comfort — doing everything in our power to avoid being uncomfortable. Yet, nowhere in Scripture do we find a call to safe and comfortable living. Quite the opposite, right? This obsession blinds us from the realization that Heavenly comfort is facilitated by earthly discomfort.

So, there they are. I had to put them out there to say this: From these obsessions, we’ve created rituals that ransack our understanding of Matthew 7:22-23: “On judgment day many will say to me ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’” To put it in modern context: “Without leaving our comfort zone, we started a small group in your name and read our Bibles, and attended Sunday school, in your name, and even had a really cool event that grew our attendance … in your name, of course.” Yet comprehend carefully Christ’s response in Matthew 7:23: “But I will reply, ‘I never KNEW you. Get away from me…’” [emphasis added].

Wait, what? So there are people who do Christian-ey things and they won’t enter Heaven?

Yes.

God isn’t asking us to do things because they make us feel like Christians. He’s inviting us into an authentic relationship with Him. But, if we obsess about condemnation, self-preservation and discomfort, we’ll read our Bibles, pray, give of our time and resources, etc., because doing so will make us feel like “we’re good” instead of an effort to actually deepen our relationship with Him. We’ll miss the point completely — be His disciple; go and make disciples. It’ll all be, as with OCD, for naught.

But, be filled with hope! John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ, who would, once and for all, atone for our sins. Find joy in that we are free from having to lock and re-lock the door, metaphorically speaking. We can brake — put a stop to our obsessions — by fully surrendering to His will, by trusting Him at His Word, by accepting that He is our assurance of salvation. And then, out of our overflow, we will freely live the two most important commands: Love God and love your neighbor — without the crippling fruitless rituals which bring us no closer to being known by Him.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments, he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

Liquid Church in Morristown, NJ has come up with an innovative way to generate interest this Christmas season by pairing celebrations with the latest Star Wars movie release. Seeking to be culturally relevant, the church anticipates 7,000 to attend their Christmas Eve services that will feature a live Star Wars nativity scene, with Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca and R2D2. Children will get to share their wishes with Darth Santa and take photos with his Stormtrooper “elves.”

Pastor Tim Lucas defends the unorthodox approach as a way to “draw on the excitement surrounding Star Wars in order to reach new people and teach them about the birth of Jesus Christ in a way they’ve never heard before.” He further adds, “It’s okay to laugh and celebrate together while talking about Christmas. If that means having Star Wars characters in costume and dancing Stormtroopers, I’m all for it.” Apparently his church’s methods are successful at attracting people and attention. Liquid Church is reputed to be one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing churches.

I’m all for unique and innovative methods to spread the Gospel, but I wonder if we don’t sometimes run the risk of communicating the wrong message?

Star Wars is a great story of good vs. evil and the struggle between light and darkness. I’m a fan of the movie franchise and even have a boxed set of the original trilogy. I am also convinced that the pure narrative of the Christmas story, as told in Matthew and Luke, is enough to satisfy any modern moviegoer or book reader. It does not need to be interpreted through any element of modern pop culture, in my opinion.

You want romance? Consider the love story of Mary and Joseph, a young couple about to be wed. You want plot twists? Think how Joseph must have felt when Mary told him that she was pregnant, and the baby wasn’t his. Can you say scandal? How is Joseph going to handle this situation? You want intrigue? How about the numerous visions, dreams and angelic visitations that surround Jesus’s birth? You need adventure? Magi from the East make a long and treacherous journey looking for the Christ child while bearing precious and costly gifts, and guided only by a star.

Evil shows up in King Herod’s scheme to kill the newborn baby. He had a history of eliminating rivals to the throne. When the Magi foil his plans to discover the babe’s whereabouts, Herod orders the slaughter of innocent children, forcing Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt for safety. Kings are supposed to be born in palaces, not stables; but that’s where Jesus was born. It sounds like the making of a great movie to me (and it has been put on film numerous times), full of all the things that make for blockbusters.

The story of Christ’s birth is no mere movie script or screenplay, however. Unlike Star Wars, it is no work of fiction and man’s imagination. It is the Biblical and historical record of Jesus’s birth, and the unfolding of God’s plan of redemption for mankind. Many millions of believers for over two millennia have treasured, celebrated and commemorated God’s great gift of redemption.

Christmas is our time to worship and to proclaim the message of His love for mankind. I’ll get around to seeing the latest Star Wars installment; but, for now, I’ll celebrate the purity and significance of the Savior’s birth just the way the gospel writers presented it. It’s beautiful and attractive just the way it is.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

In 2013, Life Church launched Restore, a digital learning experience with the vision of “doing better at doing good” by addressing poverty alleviation. A close friend of mine, Jonathan Meisner, served as one of the lead documentary filmmakers and speakers for the project. He graciously scheduled time to visit my classroom, sharing with my students a new paradigm regarding helping others, lest we do more harm than good.

Jonathan clarified that “poverty has less to do with money and more to do with relationships,” when you more aptly define poverty as being about broken relationships. We’ve been conditioned to recognize poverty solely as lacking material wealth. However, Restore identifies four major areas which also constitute poverty: a broken relationship between “us and God, us and creation, us and others, and us and ourselves.” By this new definition, people might find whilst driving their latest luxury vehicles that they, too, are impoverished.

The Restore experience reveals that while giving of resources is at an all-time high, the gap between wealthier countries and poorer ones has never been greater. This is largely due to our lack of understanding how to alleviate poverty, how to truly help. For far too long, we’ve told others what they need instead of asking them what they need. We’re great at relief, providing a temporary solution like bottles of water or charitable giving, but restoration, long-term investment — restoring broken relationships — here we’ve waned. As Simon Sinek states, we’ve turned helping into a business transaction, exchanging money and resources for the momentary pleasant feeling of goodwill.

If you recall, a rich man once approached Jesus and asked what one must do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17). He spoke of his strict adherence to the commandments, the things seen outwardly, yet Jesus wasn’t satisfied. In verse 21 Jesus says, “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” Scripture tells us that the man “went away sad, for he had many possessions.” Rich, but in poverty; he had a broken relationship with God, being unwilling to wholly commit to his Creator. We’re quick to judge this man; yet, as we approach this Christmas season, aren’t we tempted to give “relief” only to feel better about ourselves? Are we ready to wholly commit to our coming King, accurately alleviating poverty by looking for relationships in need of mending and investing what is needed to restore them? That’s exactly what’s happening at Stonybrook.

I had a chance to speak with Chelsea Shoff, 25, a dedicated staff member for Urban Youth Impact, located in West Palm Beach. Shoff, along with various non-profit and government agencies, has been diligently restoring relationships in the Stonybrook housing project through after-school programs, adult workshops, Bible studies, and quarterly events in which volunteers and staff gather to show their love and support for the community.

Stonybrook has 220 housing units designated for single-parent homes; 450 kids call Stonybrook home. It’s been a “community plagued with violence, neglect, abuse, drugs [and] hopelessness,” says Shoff.

Yet, something incredible is happening. According to a recent article by Jason Hackett of WPTV, in the past six months, “calls for police service to the complex have dropped … 80 percent.”

Shoff credits much of the visible success to “parents stepping up and doing their part to want better for their families; kids grasping Jesus and wanting to change the way they act and think; [and] the community coming together more.” Relationships are being restored between God, creation, others and themselves thanks to the investment of dedicated volunteers and staff like Chelsea Shoff in the long-term success of the community.

What is your Stonybrook? Where do you need to invest your restoration efforts (not just relief)? Maybe you’ll get involved with Urban Youth Impact (www.urbanyouthimpact.com), serve students as a mentor,or possibly sign-up to tutor at a local school. Where and how will you pick up your cross daily? Pray about it. Ask God to use you this Christmas season to begin a journey of alleviating poverty through the restoration of relationships — between you and God, His creation, others and yourself.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

Andrew Carnegie was considered to be the richest man in America during his lifetime. Having made his wealth in the steel industry, he advocated for philanthropy and practiced what he preached by reportedly giving away over $350 million to public charities. I recently read that he also left $1 million to one of his relatives, who was consequently displeased with the amount when compared to the large sums given to other causes. He should have been grateful that he got anything at all.

Samuel Liebowitz was a criminal lawyer and judge who reportedly saved 78 men from the electric chair. It is said that none of them ever thanked him.

In the Gospels, it is recorded that Jesus was approached by 10 lepers who begged him to heal them. He instructed them to go and show themselves to the priest. On the way, they were all healed but only one returned to thank the Lord. Jesus publicly inquired about the other nine, noting that only one had returned to voice his appreciation.

The expression of gratitude is a characteristic of civilized society. We were taught as children to say “thank you” when given gifts, on receiving a compliment or when we were the objects of the kindness of strangers. Good manners dictate that we acknowledge the graciousness of our fellowman. Only animals and barbarians are so callous in their disregard of others, and so consumed with themselves, that they display no sense of indebtedness for acts of good will.

Bible teacher H.A. Ironside was said to be dining in a crowded restaurant when he was approached by a gentleman who asked to share the table with him. He consented and then bowed his head to give thanks for his meal, as was his custom. The surprised gentleman inquired if Dr. Ironside was ill or displeased with his food.

Upon learning that Dr. Ironside was engaging in a habit of thanking God for his meal, the gentleman scoffed, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in.”

Dr. Ironside replied, “Yes, you’re just like my dog. That’s what he does, too!”

As we prepare to celebrate another Thanksgiving Day, we ought to be grateful for the many blessings and good things that we are able to enjoy. Even in the seemingly difficult circumstances of life, and with all of the chaos that exists on a national and worldwide level, we can still find a reason to be grateful. Life may not be all that we would desire for it to be, but consider that things could be a lot worse than they are right now. Somewhere on this planet there is someone who would gladly trade places with you.

Do you have people in your life who genuinely love you? Do you have a comfortable bed to sleep in at night? Are you able to eat when you feel hungry? Do all five of your senses still work? Do you know your name and where you live? Are you in possession of any good memories? If you can answer “yes” to at least one of these questions you have a reason to be grateful. Even the simple things, that we often take for granted, should be appreciated. God has blessed us in many ways and He rightly deserves our thanks.

Several Psalms encourage gratitude to God for what He has done by making the same exhortation, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” (Psalms 106:1, 107:1, and 136). May this directive to an ancient people in their day inspire our attitude and behavior in our day. God has shown us great mercy, goodness and grace. Let’s be grateful. Happy Thanksgiving!

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

The whine of the Rolls Royce engine and oscillating whooshing sound from the four-bladed Bell 407 police helicopter hovering above echoed throughout the apartment complex’s hallways. Red and blue strobe lights danced upon the once dark and silent walls before gunfire had shattered the stillness of the evening.

“Over here,” called a first responder. “Look closely,” he said while pointing toward the lower abdomen of an adult male sprawled upon the ground being worked on by paramedics.

“You see these two small punctures?” said the first responder. “That’s where he was shot.” I had to almost squint; I’d never seen a shooting victim, nor had any clue what real gunshot wounds looked like. But there they were: what appeared to be two stab wounds by a No. 2 pencil.

Wasting little time, the victim was prepped for transport. A polite and calm paramedic looked over at me and said, “Wanna ride in the back with us to the hospital?” I needed to remain with the first responder I was shadowing for the evening, but I couldn’t help but notice the medic’s collected demeanor. For him, two bullets robbing a man of his pulse was simply another day on the job. He and the crew couldn’t let the reality of the situation distract them from their mission: saving lives.

I never learned the fate of the shooting victim, but I did become well-educated on the many other tragedies law enforcement personnel encounter during my many nights riding with the police, specifically drunk driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “In 2013, 10,076 people died in drunk driving crashes,” and another “290,000 were injured” because of intoxicated drivers. One DUI Task Force sheriff’s deputy told me that, statistically speaking, 1 in 4 drivers after 10 p.m. in Palm Beach County are driving impaired.

I recall one night, while heading east on Forest Hill Boulevard, the deputy I was riding with noticed a van ahead crossing the lane markings. We kept our distance monitoring the driver’s behavior—all being recorded by the dash cam. With enough probable cause to make a legal stop —suspicion of driving under the influence — the deputy switched on the trademark red and blue strobes. A quick yelp of the siren helped the van’s driver recognize he was our target, which caused him to pull off the road and stop just prior to the I-95 overpass.

Cautiously approaching the driver’s side, the deputy quickly realized his suspicion was accurate. Accompanying the driver was an aging prostitute — her skin wrinkled and leathery-looking, undoubtedly from years of smoking. While the moment was heartbreaking, I remember the wise advice of the seasoned DUI Task Force deputy, “No one gets to make a choice that could rob someone else’s right to live.”

And that’s where my deep sense of gratitude resides —knowing that each day, police officers and deputies make the exact opposite decision that drunk drivers and other criminals make. Police initiate numerous choices that often put themselves in harm’s way so that no one is robbed of their right to live. Christ says in John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend”— the citizens, in their case. Without a doubt, those behind the badge embody the United States Coast Guard rescue swimmer motto: “So others may live.”

So, dear officer or deputy, thank you for putting on the uniform daily. For knowing you’ll be second-guessed, have your food sometimes [spit in], and be bullied by the talking heads on television and trolls on social media. For rushing into the situations everyone else is running from. For often being the face of humanity, sacrificially serving your community, while the poor choices of a few of your brothers and sisters allows for a complete vilification of your chosen profession. Thank you for choosing to go to a “normal day on the job,” which really means guys like me and my fellow citizens are able to rest peacefully knowing, because of you, we may live.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.