The Italian Memorandum

(Christians and the Human Experience)

“Is any among you suffering? Let him pray.
Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise…”

(James 5:13)

“If there were dreams to sell, merry and sad to tell,
And the crier rang the bell, what would you buy?”

– Thomas Lovell Beddoes

The human experience is often freckled with cheerfulness and suffering. Life, as we know it, is neither one or the other, but one and the other. James, very much in touch with the extremes of the human experience, uses terms which reflect our own times—“suffering,” “cheerful,” and “sick” (James 5:13,14). We may say with confidence that, while Christ came to save us from sin and death, he allows certain universals currently intact to prevail for a limited time. These universals would include such concepts and facts as human joy and human trials (James 1:3).

Since life has aspects of being a test, James encourages remaining steadfast under trial in order to withstand the test (see James 1:3, 12). To James, neither joy nor suffering, in and of themselves constitute a complete theology of blessing, but rather, how joy and sadness are handled. Does joy prompt you to live without God? Does sadness disprove the existence of God? No, they are just part of the whole human drama in which we find ourselves. So, may your days be merry and bright, but if they are not—all is not lost. “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us” (James 4:5).

– Robert M. Housby

“And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How
long will you go limping between two different opinions?”

(1 Kings 18:21, ESV)

The Bible teaches clearly that man is highly opinionated, even when those
personal opinions are not immediately forthcoming (see Job 32:6,10,17). We appreciate this aspect of the human experience, as given by God to man, which is sometimes referred to as free-will. A classic example of such free-will may be viewed in Joshua 24:15—“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

When Elijah asked, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21), he was tapping into man’s ability to choose for himself. Surely, it was exasperating for Elijah to have to confront these religious wobblers, to say nothing about God’s own feelings on the matter. Of course, Elijah would be called a troublemaker for his efforts (1 Kings 18:17). But, his reply stands as a resilient model for all time: “I have not troubled Israel…but you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:18). He proceeded: “If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21).

Jesus, himself, said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26). If you’re not serving, you’re not following; and, if you’re not following…you’re limping theologically.

– Robert M. Housby

“The righteous flourish like the palm tree”

(Psalm 92:12)

Sometimes those older 19th century Biblical commentaries shed light on a passage that is difficult to surpass because of first-hand experience and beauty of expression. Such is the case with Dr. Thomson’s comments about Psalm 92:12—“The righteous will flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedars of Lebanon” (Barnes on the Old Testament, Vol. III (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, reprinted, 1968) 121-125:

“The palm grows slowly, but steadily, from century to century, uninfluenced by those alterations of the seasons which affect other trees. It does not rejoice overmuch in winter’s copious rain, nor does it droop under the drought and burning sun of summer. Neither heavy weights which men place upon its head, nor the importunate urgency of the wind, can sway it aside from perfect uprightness. There it stands, looking calmly down upon the world below, and patiently yielding its large clusters of golden fruit from generation to generation. [Re: the cedars of Lebanon] Beneath the giant arms of those old patriarchs of a hundred generations, there comes a solemn hush upon the soul as if by enchantment… But it is most impressive at night. Let us by all means arrange to sleep there. The universal silence is almost painful. The gay old towers of Lebanon, still as stone, stand all around, holding up the stars of heaven to look at you, and the trees gather like phantoms about you, and wink knowingly, or seem to, and whisper among themselves you know not what…The idea in the passage before us is, that the righteous will flourish like the most luxuriant and majestic trees of the forest…”

Brethren, let us flourish while we may! – Robert M. Housby

“There was no getting around the stubborn fact that taking sweetmeats was only ‘hooking,’ while taking bacon and hams…was plain simple stealing…”

(Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, chapter 13)

“Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished”

(Malachi 1:14; 1:8)

The prophet Malachi did not mince words when he leveled a rebuke at God’s people for ripping off the LORD their God. That rebuke still rings and resonates in the ears of all who would do his will. A sampling of the rebuke appear as follows, with a brief analysis—

“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me”

(Malachi 3:8)

1. The Lord has expectations for his people (3:8,9).
2. These expectations are not empty, but full expectations (3:10a).
3. It is not vain to serve God (3:13,14).
4. Service to God will open the windows of heaven and blessing (3:3:10b).

Will you not serve him today? “Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him” (3:18).

– Robert M. Housby