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There are over 900
stories and commentaries on this blog. It is added to
daily.
To visit Neil's other blog
Wyrick's Writings click on the following (Here you will find selected sermons
that he has preached during the last 58 years.)
Just click on the URL below
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The staff was elated at the prospect of a three day weekend. All except for one woman who sighed, “It’s just one more day to be alone and lonely.”
There are millions of Facebook accounts but still almost half of
America is lonely. Never have so many so often so personal connected while not
really connecting. We used to look
forward to a certain handwriting as the handwriting of someone we loved or
admired. We used ot hear a voice or
shake a real hand or place an arm on a nearby shoulder. Now our electronic arm is thousands of miles
long and it simply is not the same. When I grew up I sat on a front porch and
waved to neighbors walking by or I was the one walking by. Now the porch is gone and the best we can do
is wave at the face on the television screen.
Twenty-three percent of all American households are single
persons. That’s over twenty million men
and women who live alone. Divorce,
death, or choice can indeed reap a harvest of aloneness. But, and this is definitely a question that
needs to be asked. Is our never ending
search for personal freedom another part of the problem of loneliness? In other words, do too many feel it is more
important to be free in all things rather than to be held responsible to God in
some things?
A newspaper columnist wrote not that long ago that, “Loneliness
today is an epidemic.” And one statistic
after another proves the point. The
average person in this country moves every five years. How can one find and keep a sense of
community when surrounded on a regular bases with nothing but new
neighbors? Sometimes we know our
neighbor’s dog better than we know our neighbor.
Community is, of course, what Christianity has been talking about
for nearly two thousand years. Just
about everyone knows the parable of the good Samaritan, but more important than
the healing of this wounded traveler’s bumps, bruises and breaks was the
healing of his pain of loneliness - all the people who simply passed on by
without taking the time to care. “Would
if I could, but I just can’t.”
“Inconvenient, you know.”
Do you remember the tragic story of the death of Kitty
Genovese? It was two decades ago and I
have not forgotten it. I really don’t
want to. Loneliness must have been a
living hell for her as she called out, “Won’t someone help me? For God sake, I’m dying.”
And no one did! Time and
time again her neighbors saw her killer’s slashing knife rip and tear her
body. For thirty minutes on that New
York City street, they watched as she dragged herself toward the doorway that
led to her apartment. The wounds from
which she bled to death were an agony, but the pain of loneliness must have
been almost as great.
Unfortunately that wasn’t just an isolated case of our
unconcern. We have become a nation of
observers. Not a nation of
participators. But then, participation
takes time, effort and well, after all there is the me-first syndrome to be
kept alive and well.
Too many have never
heard or believed or at least never followed the advice in the Bible that
reads; “I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink;
I was naked and you clothed Me; I was a stranger, and you took me in.” Matthew 25:35
You’re not in the mood?
It’s not your cup of tea? Sorry,
the Bible doesn’t say, “If you’re in the mood, or can find the time to feed
some hungry, give drink to some thirty, clothe someone in need, help to heal
some lonely soul.” The Bible doesn’t
give you or me an out.
Loneliness is packaged in many different ways and each of us
views it from our own troubled souls. In
the midst of a crowd it is possible to be alone and lonely. There are entertainers and sports figures who
are idolized, yet receiving fan letters by the thousands, they are still
lonely. And then again, there are
preachers in small, quite isolated parishes in the hills who are not lonely at
all.
For some, loneliness is having a dream and not being able to find
anyone who will say “I understand.” Or,
having an idea and wanting agreement but receiving instead rejection. We all want friends but to some it would seem
as if the world is determined to be their enemy. When that messenger from hell, loneliness,
moves harshly across the horizon it clouds even the brightest day.
The personal, human touch people used to get from just doing
business with their friends and neighbors has given way to the bigger-is-better
theory. Yes, it does save money but at
the same time it costs us more – just in a different way. Most personal “a-bright-good-morning-to-you”
mom-and-pop stores have been replaced by supermarkets, the cobbler by a shoe
chain, the personal blacksmiths of our grandfather’s days by Midas
Muffler. In olden days there used to be
barn raisings. Today we have
do-it-yourself advice from Home Depots.
I listen to your dog. You
hear my lawnmower. We may drown out each
other’s air
conditioners. Sometimes, to be much closer we’d have to be
Siamese twins, but that’s still not community.
And we, who live in neighborhoods of planned togetherness, would do well
to remember that “A crowd is not necessarily company.” (Rewrite of a Francis Bacon comment)
It may be an oversimplification of a complex problem, but you
and I both know people who deny the Fatherhood of God, the love of Christ and
the meaning behind creation. It is
their choice, but it is a choice that causes them to endure a special and
terrible loneliness all their earthly days.
Mother Theresa didn’t give the following thoughts the title HOW
TO CUT DOWN ON LONELINESS, but if you do what she suggests, the love that will
fill you will be the love of Jesus. And
because of it, you will feel closer to each and every member of human kind.
1 - Accept the
fact that people are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyways.
2 - If you are
kind and loving, some people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind and loving anyway.
3 - The good
you do today, people may forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
4 - Give the
world the best you have and though it may never be enough for some, give the
world the best you’ve got anyway.
"Wyrick's Writings" are selected sermons from those
Neil has preached during the last 55 years.
Below is a quote from Neil's other blog
Wyrick's Writings...
SERMON TITLE...HOW TO
LESSEN ANXIETY
It's an old joke, I went to the doctor and I
said, “Doc, when I do this, it hurts.” And the doctor said, “Then don't do
that.”
How many things have you been anxious
about that were things which you knew before you got into them were probably
going to create some problems for you?
And if you asked your doctor, or your minister, or common sense and your
God, all of them would have said, “Don’t to that.”
Below
is a quote from Neil's other blog Wyrick's Writings...
To buy into the community of accountability we have to realize that
like bikers we are divided into two categories. Those who have fallen and those who will
fall for None of us are perfect.
Think on it this way, some philosopher of
old wrote it and it endures because there is so much truth in it… every right implies a responsibility; every
opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty
Below
is a quote from Neil's other blog Wyrick's Writings...
One writer put it this way: “If we could see
ourselves as God sees us, we would rise up and never be the same again.”
TO GO
TO "WYRICK'S WRITINGS" TO
READ SELECTED SERMONS FROM OVER 50 YEARS OF HIS MINISTRY
CLICK ON THE URL
BELOW
Some
of the sermon titles posted recently
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Before you decide
to purchase or not purchase his book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN.... view his Award Winning One Man
Dramatization of Lincoln (since he wrote the script
for this drama it will give you an insight into what you will find in the book
itself)
Available on Amazon.com
in printed form and on Amazon Kindle Books. and at many other sites
TO VIEW THE LINCOLN
One Man DRAMA and 3 other dramas; Ben Franklin, Martin Luther & Charles
Wesley
click on the
following URL
http://www.speakerneil.com/
++++++++++++++++++++++
BELOW
ARE MORE QUOTES FROM NEIL'S RECENTLY POSTED SERMONS
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A QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS POSTED ON MY
OTHER BLOG WYRICK'S WRITINGS ENTITLED
Two stores faced each other across a very
busy street. Their owners were in constant competition
with each other. One day, the owner of
one store put out a sign that read – If
you want it, we have it!
Almost immediately the other owner put out a
sign –If we don’t have it, you don’t
need it!
A QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS POSTED ON MY
OTHER BLOG WYRICK'S WRITINGS ENTITLED
WHO ARE
YOU?
NO…WHOSE ARE YOU?
Who are you? Whose are
you?
You influence and are influenced
according to the answer you give.
Are you are the flavor of the month because
you are determined to be like everyone else no matter what? If so, consider being more independent in our
thinking and actions...because God wants you to grow up.
It may be easier being someone's shadow but
wouldn't you really rather be a sun.
QUOTE FROM THOUGHTS POSTED ON WYRICK'S WRITINGS ENTITLED "Who
Are You? Whose Are You?"
This is an old quote, and a romantic one
as well but, nevertheless, can anyone say of you, “I love you not because of who you are,
but because of who I am when I am with you.”
QUOTE FROM THOUGHT PIECE POSTED
ON WYRICK'S WRITINGS ENTITLED
" WHEN A NATION STRAYS TOO FAR FROM BEING MORAL IT IS WELL ON IT'S WAY
TO BECOMING A MESS
James 4:17
To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it,
to him it is sin.
Someone once said: “A
belief is what you hold, a conviction is what holds you!”
So what holds you,
constructs you, leads you with a push when needed?
Quotes
POSTED ON WYRICK'S WRITING ENTITLED WHO
ARE YOU?
NO…WHOSE ARE YOU?
In a Peanuts
cartoon strip Peppermint Patty is shown talking to Charlie Brown.
“Guess what, Chuck? It’s the first day
of school and I got sent to the principal’s office.
And it’s your fault!”
Charlie Brown responds, “My fault? How
could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?”
To which she declares, “You’re my
friend, aren’t you, Chuck? You should have been a better influence on me.”
In the comics, it’s funny… but in real life it’s much more
complicated.
Would you like to read the entire thought
piece? Then... TO TAKE YOU TO THE WYRICK'S WRITING'S
SITE
click on
the following
Yes, God loves you the way you
are but he loves you too much to let you stay that way.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Click on the URL below to WATCH NEIL IN
HIS WORLD FAMOUS ONE MAN DRAMATIZATIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, BEN FRANKLIN,
CHARLES WESLEY AND MARTIN LUTHER
To
Order and Read
Neil's 9th book THE
SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN
GO TO amazon.com
QUOTES ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL INSPIRING INFORMATIVE book
STILL RECEIVING RAVE REVIEWS 8 YEARS AFTER IT'S PUBLICATION.
"Positive,
powerful utterances...skillfully enhancing our understanding and appreciation
of Lincoln while revealing the Divine source of his strength."
Lt.
Colonel C.A. Olsen (Ret.) Asbury College (Professor Ret.)
"The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln is
an extremely well written book that investigates what might be
termed the spiritual side of President Lincoln. It's both scholarly and very
readable. I came away impressed at Mr. Wyrick's portrayal of the President and
with an altered and enlarged vision of the man:'
William Hoffman, Award winning fiction writer; author of Blood and Guile, and
Wild Thorn
"Wyrick has authored a wonderful
examination of the spirituality of one of American history's most devoutly
religious leaders...a pleasant and readable book that has a rich depth of
information."
Maynard Pittendreigh Presbyterian
minister
"When it comes to invoking religion in
support of any of their decisions, politicians need to sit at the feet of
Abraham Lincoln. Reinhold Niebuhr once called him 'America's greatest
theologian.' Why so great? Because he invariably distinguished between human
works and the works of the Almighty. As Wyrick says, 'He wore
the mantle of humility easily: because he was more impressed with what God was
doing in the world than with what he, president of the United States in the
midst of an awful crisis, was doing. That is why in his last major speech he
distinguished between both human causes in the Civil War and the Almighty's
'own purposes.' Lincoln would have agreed that it is better to leave God-talk
out of politics than to decorate human proposals with divinity. This is a book
for our American time. Through his careful study of Lincoln's career, Wyrick
compels us to remember that piety belongs in politics only when piety
transcends politics."
Dr.
Donald W. Shriver
Emeritus professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
Author of An Ethic for Enemies: Forgiveness in Politics
"V. Neil Wyrick's fine work allows the reader to appreciate Abraham
Lincoln's Christian commitment and his prophetic role in American history.
Should have a wide readership."
James
H. Smylie Professor
of Church History (Ret.) Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia
"Neil
Wyrick's The Spiritual Abraham Lincoln should be read by anyone attempting to understand the man who was probably
the most complex person to ever hold the office of president of the United
States. Dr. Wyrick is intent on demonstrating that the spirituality so often
expressed in Lincoln's writings and speeches was not merely lip service to a
Deity, but rather expressions of a profound faith in a real God. It was this
faith that provided the wisdom, compassion, insight and sometimes steel that
Lincoln would need in full measure as he led the United States through
the Civil War. Dr. Wyrick's clear and unpretentious style of presentation is
very much in keeping with the character ofhis subject, and in so doing, Wyrick
makes his point very well that Lincoln, his beliefs, and the faith that formed
them, are as relevant to a troubled America in 2004 as they were in 1863."
Daniel Allen Butler, author
of "Unsinkable"; The Full Story of the RMS Titanic, The
Lusitania and The Age o f Cunard
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