A Dennis the Menace cartoon has stuck with me for obvious reasons. The cartoon showed Dennis standing in the midst of one super messy bedroom, his exasperated mother glowering at him. Dennis looks up at her and says, “Now, what’s the problem?”
If you ever visit Concordia Seminary, and I hope you’ll take this as an invitation to do just that, you’ll see that the president’s office is neat and clean. That’s because I want it to look good when we have the privilege of welcoming people to campus. But there’s another reason.
It’s probably not an accident that Dennis and Dale are close together in the alphabet. The official office is clean because I work from another office on campus, and that office is filled with piles, piles on the desk, piles on the floor, piles on the shelves. When I go to heaven, that office will be sealed with yellow disaster tape.
“Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow.” Paul said, “The time for my departure is near.” Mindful that he wouldn’t always be here, he told Timothy, “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 4:6-7, 2:2) Now, what’s the problem? Leaving piles of unsettled stuff for those who will be left.
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