People Remembering People

INTRO.- II Pet. 3:8 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. “

DO NOT FORGET THIS ONE THING. We humans forget more than one thing. We forget many things. But Peter is saying, “Don’t forget the Lord and don’t forget that the Lord’s view of time is different than ours. He is not limited by time as we are. Don’t forget that God is faithful. He will do what He says He will do.”

We human beings are forgetful about many things. We do forget God at times. We do forget what His Word says. We do forget what we heard in church last Sunday.

ILL.- Did you hear about the three old men who were talking one afternoon about how forgetful they were getting? The first one said, "Sometimes I get undressed to get into the shower, and suddenly I can’t remember if I’m getting in or getting out."

The second one said, "Well, sometimes I’ll find myself on the stairs, and I don’t remember if I’m going up or coming down."

The third old man said, "Well, so far I haven’t had any of that kind of trouble. I guess I’ll just knock on wood and hope that what is happening to you guys doesn’t happen to me." So he rapped his knuckles on the arm of his wooden rocking chair, and then he said, "I wonder who that is?"

Forgetfulness. We all experience it and it seems to get worse with age. Senior moments, they call them.

ILL.- One 53 year-old woman said, “I’m always writing notes to myself, and then I forget the notes. I came home one night, and my girlfriend down the road was having a party. . . .I’d completely forgotten, even though she had reminded me three times that day. I think it’s overload." I don’t know what it is, but it happens. Overload and underload.

Some things need to be forgotten but can’t seem to be erased from the memory. Other things need to be remembered but escape easily. One thing we should not forget…IS PEOPLE!

ILL.- Thomas Monaghan is the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Domino’s Pizza, Inc. From 1970 to 1985, Domino’s grew from a small debt-ridden chain to the second largest pizza company in America. When asked to account for the phenomenal growth of the company, Monaghan explained, "I programmed everything for growth." And how did he plan for growth? "Every day we develop people-the key to growth is developing people." Not special cheese, not a tasty crust, not fast delivery schedules, but people! Dominos has the slogan, "Our most important ingredient is our people!"

Brothers and sisters, Dominos is apparently in the people business. God is definitely in the people business; otherwise He wouldn’t have sent Jesus into the world to save people! And whether we realize it or not, our business in this world is also people.

PROP.- On this Memorial Day weekend I want us to think about people remembering people in four different ways:

1- Remember the good and commend

2- Remember the hurt and pray

3- Remember the need and serve

4- Remember the dead and praise

I. REMEMBER THE GOOD AND COMMEND

Rom. 13:7 “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” We need to honor people when they do good.

Prov. 12:25 “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” Or it could be a commending word. You don’t have to be rich to give compliments away.

ILL.- The brilliant physician and writer Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., and his brother John represent two radically different views on the subject of compliments. Dr. Holmes loved to receive compliments, and when he was older he indulged his pastime by saying to someone who had just praised his work, "I am a trifle deaf, you know. Do you mind repeating that a little louder?"

John, however, was content to be in his older brother’s shadow. He once said that the only compliment he ever received came when he was six years old. The maid was brushing his hair when she said to his mother that little John wasn’t all that cross-eyed!

Brothers and sisters, I don’t think we ought to go fishing for compliments, but I do think we should be quick to give them when people do well in life.

ILL.- A weary beggar approached a roadside inn that had the name, "George and the Dragon” on the door. Knocking on the office door, he was met by a hateful and bitter woman who screamed for him to leave the property. Mustering up enough nerve, he knocked a second time and asked, "May I speak to George?"