Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear ones.

It was overcast…but now as I peer out this dirty window, I see some blue sky…and now I also see evidence of sunlight cast over the trees on the hillside to the west. Nice.

Not yet sure if I’ll be able to get in a jog. We still have guests from Alaska—plus some work deadlines to narrow my options.

I like the quote I stuck at the end of the composition below. It reminds me of a kind of idiot sign I saw on the end of a big truck trailer I saw on the road yesterday when my two granddaughters joined me on a run to get some sign materials. It read, “CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE. DO NOT FOLLOW.” What? How do I process that message? If that rig is ahead of me, how can I not follow? Am I supposed to pull over and stop?—or speed up and pass? It’s kind of like another sign I’ve seen: “SAFETY CORRIDOR. LIGHTS ON.” Suddenly I’m faced with the need to drive safely. That sure cramps my style. Then another sign appears. “END OF SAFETY CORRIDOR.” Good. Now I can get back to driving reckless.

Speaking of great signs, I’m recalling one that the late Jim Hance told me of reading on the door of a local jail in Tonga: “INMATES NOT INSIDE THIS DOOR BY 8PM WILL BE LOCKED OUT.” Oh no! That has to be close to abuse!

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

As a kid, I recall occasionally watching a television game show—it was called “TO TELL THE TRUTH.” (I just confirmed that you can go online to view some old episodes of that old show.) It featured various people with unique occupations or life experiences. The host would make an introduction something like this: “Our present guest is Ray Sparre. He, together with his wife, Becki, have raised their four children while living and working as missionaries over a period of 28 years in four Pacific Island countries—Marshall Islands, Pohnpei, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.” This guest would be sitting with two other people who were both claiming to be Ray Sparre, with the same background story. Each would stand and introduce himself, “My name is Ray Sparre.” There was a panel of four main players whose challenge was to ask questions of the three within the time allotted as a means for choosing which Ray Sparre they judged to be the true Ray Sparre. At the end of the question time the panel was required to announce their selection, telling why they chose #1, #2, or #3. Then the host would say, “Will the true Ray Sparre please stand.” It was most common for the panel to select an imposter rather than the true one.

There is a good deal of guessing going on in determining who are the true and genuine people of God and who are con-artists or counterfeits. Sometimes it is quite apparent, and other times it is quite difficult. Paul made reference to this matter back in 1Timothy 5:24-25: “The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.” (That is, they cannot be hidden before the omnipresence and omniscience of God. Hebrews 4:13.) “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness’” (2 Timothy 2:19).

There have been a few times in my sojourn where a unique blend of circumstances put me into a circle where I was misunderstood, misrepresented, and judged as a phony. In those instances I seemed to have no other foundation than this one—that the Lord knew who I was—and I knew who I was—even though virtually everyone in that circle judged me as a deceiver. It really is a good foundation to have. In fact, I would highly recommend it to you—that you accept “God’s solid foundation” as YOUR FOUNDATION.

To be sure, there is coming a day when the Sovereign Host will say, “Will the true followers of my Son please stand—and enter into the joy of your Lord.” And it’s no game show.