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A Quick Lesson For A Slow Learner

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1171053_show_ART_POS_defaultWell, I did it again! I engaged in one of my annual rites of Spring—I’ve suffered through my first case of poison ivy.

I guess I’m a slow learner. When I was a child I had a fascination with fans which resulted in bloody fingers. It took me a long time before Mom convinced me that if I played with fire I’d get burned; and, it seems like it takes the first dose of poison ivy to remind me to wear a long sleeved shirt and gloves while trimming the bushes.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a string around my finger or some form of a note to remind me to do the things I need to do. Without the reminders of Google Calendar, I would have trouble keeping my schedule straight.

Both Paul and Peter realized there is a need to stir up a person’s memory and to provide motivators for godly living:
• I Timothy 1:6: I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you
• Hebrews 10:24: let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works
• 2 Peter 1:12-214: For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 1 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent (body), to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.

With this in mind, remember to remind yourself to be mindful of the things of God.

The Write of the World

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penlight-1992838388_015When I opened some office mail yesterday, there was a pen inside one of the letters. One end is a typical “pen” end to use for writing and the opposite end is a tiny flashlight.

One end of this pen reminds me of the words of Jesus: “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John 8:12).” This statement pointed back to the days of Moses when a “pillar of fire” separated the Israelites from the Egyptians and God used this form of light to lead His people through the wilderness. In the next chapter of John, we see Jesus at work as the Light of the world. He dispels the darkness when He heals a blind man.

The other end of this pen reminds me of a statement made by Paul: You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone. 3 It is clear that you are Christ’s letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God—not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh (2 Corinthians 3:2-4).

Have you ever thought of your life as a letter or book that people read? What does your life story say about Jesus and your faith?

Jesus is the “light” of the world, but you and I are the “write” of the world. Each and every day of our lives, people read us. We are telling the story of Christianity. Moment by moment our actions and attitudes are scanned and intently scrutinized for a consistent and coherent message.

As the “write” of the world, are you sending the “right” message? Are you writing a riveting story intertwined with the vibrant love of God or is it a lackluster line or two of a boring paragraph?

Flip back through the pages of your life over the past couple of days and what do you see? Is there some need of editing or do you find a neatly written composition that allows even the blind to see the Light of the world?

The Week That Was

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159-pack13-021514-tmFriday at last! So, how has your week gone? Has it been a week of daily delights or has it been a bit different?

Was it one of those weeks where you felt like you’ve been drop-kicked through the goal post of life; bounced, like a basketball, off the hardwood floors of adversity; or, one in which the time of day never mattered because no one would give you a second of their time?

Life alone can be like that, but life aside of Jesus can be much different. Whenever you think that no one will give you a second of their time, remember that Jesus has given you His life and a promise of eternity in Heaven.

The rejection you feel from time to time—Jesus knows all about it. Remember He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and very familiar with our grief; and, for the joy of obtaining the prize that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross (Isaiah 53, Hebrews 12:2).

So, the next time you feel rejected, remember you are accepted in Jesus. To Him, you are a keeper—a “prize” that He cherishes.

And the adversity you face—you never have to go it alone because He has promised to never leave you or forsake you. The invitation is to come along side of Him, so He can ease your burden and carry your load.

You can find some comfort and reassurance in the words of Paul: “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”

Here’s a verse or two to get you through today and to think about over the weekend: “Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge.”

Are You Brusque, Pushy or Condescending?

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pusypeopleYesterday, I posted in this blog about a principle from Philippians 2. Since then, my thoughts have centered on the word “condescending.” This is due in a large part to some work done by Nic Subtirelu, a linguist at Georgia State University.

The idea behind the word “condescending” is this:
• A person with authority is abusing his/her power
• A person has an attitude of superiority in the way he/she interacts with other people.

Jesus did not think He was superior to others—He knew it; yet He willingly humbled Himself. Through His actions and attitudes, Jesus paints a stark contrast in bold strokes and with the vivid colors of humility and service.

His humility is seen in Philippians 2: “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave.”

In a loving act of humility, Jesus “emptied” Himself. He laid aside all prestige and praise, and left the fragrance of heaven to be born in a stable thick with the pungent smell of dung.

This King of kings and Lord of lords was born, not to be served; but, to serve others. Alive in Him was the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:8-9); yet, He walked down the ladder of glory, so He could be hung up on a cross. This was no display of condescension—it was an act of redemption.

Condescending people are full of themselves, and deep down inside there is a gnawing emptiness. The redeemed are full of God, and deep within them is the knowledge Christ’s love. In which group are you?

Where Is The Empathy?

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Magnifier with question mark isolated on white.The WSJ online edition ran a story entitled: Little Children and Already Acting Mean (Children, Especially Girls, Withhold Friendship as a Weapon; Teaching Empathy

According to research by Charisse Nixon, chair of the psychology department at Penn State Erie, “50% of children and adolescents—grades five through 12—have experienced relational aggression at least monthly. About 7% of children report experiencing physical aggression on a daily or weekly basis.”

The article also quoted Laura Barbour, a counselor at Stafford Primary School in West Linn, Oregon: “Kids forget about scuffles on the playground but they don’t forget about unkind words or being left out.”

So how should these issues be handle before they become problems? Mark Barnett, a developmental psychologist at Kansas State University, thinks he has the answer. Barnett says parents should teach their children affective empathy. He believes children should learn to vicariously experience the emotions of another person.

As I read Barnett’s suggestions, I thought I was hearing the principles of Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Before you can guide your children down the right path of life, first, you need to walk it yourself.

Look at your life through a magnifying glass, and what do you see? Does the evidence point to a life of rivalry and conceit or one of humility and service to benefit the needs of others?

Ted Williams and TriFocals

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pitching-mental-gameI’ve been wearing trifocal glasses for several years, and I’ve learned it’s important to keep them clean. A smudge can cover all three vision fields of a lens which makes focusing a tenuous task.

In most any endeavor you will undertake, your focus will determine much of your success. In the field of sports, one of the most difficult skills to develop is learning to hit a baseball.

Ted Williams was a leftfielder for the Boston Red Sox and played his last game in 1960. He was also the last major leaguer to bat for over .400 in a season. His career average was .344.

In the history of Major League Baseball only 30 players, with a minimum of 3,000 plate appearances, have batted .330 for their careers. Of all the great athletes who have stepped to the plate with bat in hand, only 205 of them ended their careers with a .300 batting average.

The difference between the 205 and the thousands of others is focus. Their focus on the ball and their ability to recognize its spin allowed them to put it into play.

When David kept his life in focus, he did great things for God. You can see the target of his energies in Psalm 34: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

David was doing what Paul would later instruct the Colossians to do. He was setting his mind on things above, instead of on earthly things (3:2). This reminds me of Hebrews 12: “. . . lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith . . . “

When we see things through the lens of eternity, our focus is on Jesus. This allows us to see the “spin,” so we don’t get tripped up or ensnared by the things of this world.

Need I Say More?

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0522_memorial_dayPause today to remember!

Check List for Life

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checkIt’s hard to believe, but we are just days away from the month of June and the halfway point of 2014. It has been a fast 5 months that have been full of changes.

Many of my changes have been associated with my mother. Her declining health has meant a move to assisted living, and selling her house. As we went through the tiring process of sorting her papers, heirlooms, and “stuff,” an article was found. Either Mom or Pop thought there was some significance and truth to the following Ten Commandments For Right Living:

1. Thou shalt not worry, for by so doing thou shalt relive the same disaster many times.
2. Thou shalt not try to dominate or possess others, for it is the right of every man to govern his own actions.
3. Thou halt not seek after fame, for unless God is glorified, greatness is a burden.
4. Thou shalt not work for money only, for money was meant to serve. Money is a poor master.
5. Thou shalt harm no other person, by word, thought, or deed, regardless of the cause: for to do so is to perpetuate the sorrows of the race.
6. Thou shalt not be angry at any person for any reason, for anger injures most the one who is angry.
7. Thou shalt never blame another for thy misfortune, for each man’s destiny is in his own keeping.
8. Thou shalt relax, for tension is an abomination unto the flesh.
9. Thou shalt have a sense of humor or thy years will seem much more tedious and painful.
10. Thou shalt love the beautiful and serve the good for this is according to the will of heaven.

While I might take issue with the way some of these are worded, they do offer some good principles for how to live your life. Most of the 10 can be summarized in one statement that Jesus made—The Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

There’s a lot of difference between “doing in” others and “doing for” others. Which “doing” have you been doing?

Crossing Over–A Deathbed Experience

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heavenIs Heaven just a fictional place? Are you crazy to believe you might go there when you die? Is there any evidence that Heaven is for real?

Questions like these come to mind when you watch the movie To Heaven and Back. It is the story of the life and death experience of three year old Colton Burpo. This incident has strengthened the faith of believers and ruffled the feathers of skeptics. Apart from the Bible and the experience of Colton, how can you know if heaven is for real?

Even if I had never read a page in the Bible, I would believe in Heaven, and this isn’t wishful thinking—I believe because of an experience with an uncle.

In the last weeks of my Uncle Kenneth’s life, I was at his bedside almost daily. I was able to reminisce with my dad’s oldest brother, and saw him drift in and out and up and down through different levels of consciousness.

I remember one particular day when Kenneth had drifted out and was very restless, and then he became very calm, and said: “There’s Mom and Dad!” When his focus returned to the room, we spoke of his parents—my grandparents.

The restlessness returned, and I whispered, “What’s wrong Kenneth?” He said, “I can’t find Clara Mae (his wife).” Then he was gone again and his face soon lit up with a smile as he said, “Well there’s Eddie.” His eyes then focused on me and with a smile he said, “I saw Eddie—your dad.”

“Uncle Kenneth,” I said, “Do me a favor. When you cross on over to Heaven, tell Dad hi for me. I haven’t seen him since 1965, and I still miss him.” He smiled and drifted back out saying, “I’ll do that.”

Kenneth closed his eyes and became calmer than I had seen him for weeks. He took a deep breath and said, “There she is—there’s Clara Mae!” I stayed quietly by his bedside, not wanting to interrupt this wonderful reunion with his wife.

A few minutes later, my uncle returned to the room and we discussed what he had just seen. We prayed and I left a minute later. Not long after he found his wife, Kenneth died, and went to be with her, his parents, and my dad.

Is Heaven provable with hard science? Nope! Is it for real? I have no doubt that it is, and what I experienced with my Uncle Kenneth and multiple other people on their death beds is enough confirmation for me.

If you’ve never read the book or seen the movie detailing the experience of Colton Burpo, you can watch an interview here.

Is Your Best Foot Forward?

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One of my favorite books in the Bible is Psalms. The 19th Psalm is the longest division in this book, and it begins with a wonderful promise: “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!”

There are two words that are seen two times in the two verses above. The first word is “blessed,” and the second is “way.” One of the themes of this Psalm, and some others, is the link between receiving “blessings,” and doing things God’s “way.”

• The pathway we are to walk is the principles of God, and when we do this we are blessed.
• Seeking God wholeheartedly is evidence of walking in His way
• The key to keeping your way (life) pure is by integrating God’s Word into your life (9-11).
• When you develop a relationship with God you will “delight” in the way of His testimonies (14).
• Applying the principles of God to your life is not an accident, but it is a conscious decision that needs to be made: “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me (30).”
• On your journey through the wilderness of life, it will be necessary to check your compass and correct your course from time to time: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24)”

The principles above come to life in the story of the prodigal son. In him, we see a young man who followed the way of the world and experienced a life of tragedy and failure. The choices he made reminds me of Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Even though his son had failed, the father was ready to forgive him and welcome him home. When he saw his son walking down the dusty road that led to the house, he said: “My son was lost and now is found (Luke 15:24).”

Which path are you walking, and what principles are guiding your life? Are you wholeheartedly seeking God and walking in His ways?