Patriotism

623: A Balanced Life

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new_mx623wn_500For several years now, I’ve worn a specific brand of tennis shoes. They are the “623” made by New Balance.

As I took a sip of coffee and started my devotional time this morning, I noticed my shoes on the floor in front of me. I saw something in the “623” logo on the shoes that I had never seen before.

The significance of “623” just occurred to me—Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I’m certain New Balance has never connected the salvation message of Romans 6:23 to their tennis shoes, but every time I lace them up and put them on, I’ll think of this verse.

This shoe theme reminds me of one of the principles that John taught: If you’re going to talk the talk, you need to walk the walk. He said: “Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him (I John 3:17-18).”

What about your talk and your walk? Is it consistent? When people hear you talk, do they hear the love of God? If people follow your path and walk in your shoes will it lead them to Heaven?

Paul’s words to the church at Rome are significant to this discussion: “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace who bring glad tidings of good things!’ (Romans 10:13-15).”

623: I encourage you to take 6 minutes to read this blog 2 times, to think of 3 people who you can influence with your talk and by your walk, and to pray that you can be the one who brings the “glad tidings of good things” to them.

Ignition Contrition

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A spilled salt shakerIn an act of public contrition General Motors has fired 15 employees and reprimanded 5 others following a cover-up regarding a faulty ignition switch. This glitch in technology has been linked to several accidents and deaths, and it has prompted an apology from GM’s Chief Executive, Mary Barra.

Ms. Barra described the behavior of GM as a “pattern of incompetence and neglect.” She also said: “We will accept responsibility for our mistakes, and we will do everything in our power to make sure this never happens again (WSJ Online).”

What is a pattern? It is the customary manner in which a business or organization operates or the behavior that defines a person.

In Paul’s letter to Titus he writes about a pattern or example that is to be followed. As you read it, notice what Paul says about a person’s individual responsibilities and the character traits he emphasizes: “Encourage younger men likewise to be self-controlled, showing yourself to be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, because he has nothing evil to say about us (Titus 2:6-8).”

Where is the self-control, integrity, and dignity today? They seem to have been replaced with crude conduct, a vocabulary of four letter words, and an anarchistic attitude.

In Colossians 5:6, Paul said, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt (wisdom).” Is grace and salt (wisdom) a pattern of your life or have you forgotten the grace and become too salty in your speech?

What A Delight

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spectrum_3-021114-ykwv1Even though the life and ministry of Peter had as many ups and downs as a roller coaster, he was a witness to many of the pivotal moments in the early history of Christianity. One such incident was the transfiguration of Jesus.

Peter never forgot that life-changing moment and probably spoke of it often: “We did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, a voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory: This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him! And we heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with Him on the holy mountain (2 Peter 1:16-18).”

There is a five word phrase in Peter’s account that is found two other places in the New Testament. “I take delight in Him” is also found in Matthew 3:7 and Matthew 17:5. In both of the instances, God is expressing His approval and love for Jesus. The first was at the baptism of Jesus and the second was the transfiguration experience in which Peter was present.

If God delights in Jesus, shouldn’t we do the same? Not only did God say that He delighted in Jesus, but He followed that statement up with a command: “Listen to Him!”

In the Psalms and the book of Proverbs, there is a strong correlation between the word delight and the believer’s relationship with God:

• Psalm 40:8: I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.
• Psalm 119:16: I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
• Proverbs 11:1: Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.
• Proverbs 12:22: Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.
• Proverbs 15:8: The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.

We need to realize that “delight” is heavy with the fullness of God. Paul had this fullness in mind when he wrote: “My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead (Philippians 3:9-11).”

When we truly know Him, and the transforming power of His resurrection, we will “delight” in Him, in His Word, and in His wisdom.

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.