Become the means...

Get out the message—God Rules! He put the world on a firm foundation; He treats everyone fair and square. (Psalm 96:10)

There are times when we have nothing to say and at others we are unable to keep our mouths shut at all. How is it we can have so much to say on one topic and nothing on another? I purposefully stopped listening to the news channels except for on occasion here and there. In fact, my BFF oftentimes has to tell me something catastrophic has happened because I have not 'heard the news'. Why did I stop listening? It was so much of the same negative stuff and I didn't need fill my mind with a million different 'takes' on why something happened the way it did. Give me the facts - lives were lost, pray for our nation and their families - leave it there! The news stations don't do that, though. They review time and time again the same clips, factoids, and the interviews until you can almost rehearse them ad nauseum. I'd rather get the word out that God Rules - period!

Lives have been lost and families will never be the same. Some families have been obliterated, never to have their name continue on this earth. Homes have been lost to major disasters and poorly constructed building sites. All this matters very deeply to Christ. It matters to me that hundreds and thousands will never be the same because of violence, tragic occurrences, and hateful intentions of some. Pray AGAINST the hate. Pray FOR the families and hurting among them. Pray AGAINST the evil. Pray FOR the truth to come to light and for it to bring healing. Pray AGAINST immoral. Pray FOR the righteousness of God to permeate this earth. This is our part - we may not have been part of the ugliness that has occurred, but we can lift up the name of Christ and pray hard against these things.

We don't need to rehearse the evil around us to feel the impact of that evil. We don't need to see the ugliness displayed time after time to understand the despair and agony of heart many are experiencing in this time of so much evil intent. We have Christ to guide our hearts into an 'active response' to the evil - prayer is only one way we fight against this evil. We also can do whatever part God may put on our hearts - such as to give of ourselves in service to those who need our help in order to heal from these difficult circumstances. Pray, act - do something! Rather than just watch the news - become the means by which the news changes! Just sayin!

Gateway closed, ears open, heart ready

We can certainly hear a lot of voices today - each representing some "cause" or "purpose" we are supposed to get our lives behind. Some are reasonable and seem to catch our attention simply because what they present seems both logical and straight-forward. Other voices are not as forth-coming in their motives, oftentimes not very logical and definitely not telling you the whole story. They simply use a technique that manipulates the crowds until they have them to the place we might call "biting on the bait". Our mailboxes are inundated with this request for "charitable contribution" one right after another; get this product now; attend this seminar to get rich quick; and get these veneers put on your teeth to change the way people perceive you. Lots of voices demanding our attention, but do we recognize its source? Jesus was most concerned with the repetitive 'voices' and 'demands' our world puts out there over and over again - voices and demands that do little more than distract us, taking us off a solid path.

Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it. (John 10:1-5)

The means of entry is important for us to understand first and foremost. One attempts to gain entry or trying to "get to you" usually by the most "telling" sign of 'entry' we have - it is like temptation entering through the most frequently traveled 'gateway'. Jesus used the example of the 'attacker' climbing over the fence instead of going directly through it. This suggests some type of "manipulating" influence - not being straight-forward in their presentation - otherwise they attacker would come straight through the gate because the gate is the easiest means of attack. This should be a dead give-away to us, but how many times have we been "snookered" into our attacker's manipulative ways? If you are like me, there have been at least a few times! Sometimes the most 'indirect' attack is the fiercest because it catches us unaware - we weren't looking in that direction, expecting it from that place of entry. The first thing to consider in keeping ourselves safe is the manner in which someone presents the "cause" we are being asked to get ourselves behind. I believe in something called "transparency". In other words, the books have to be open to me! I need to see the evidence of their works! Not everyone is comfortable being transparent, are they? Does this necessarily make them "dishonest" or "manipulative" in their purpose? Not totally, so Jesus gives us additional means by which to evaluate the "cause" we will get behind.

He tells us to consider their voice - a recognizable thing to most of us who have hung around with someone for a bit of time. Let me put up some "safety measures" here before we go on. If we are to know someone's voice, we have to be so accustomed to them being around in our lives that we easily recognize the voice, even in the darkness, right? I have some friends I've known for years. I recognize their voice before they even make it into my office or my home. Why? We have "hung out" together enough I now recognize their voice without having to see them face-to-face. Let me just say this and I will leave it at that - we cannot expect to be kept safe from the manipulative voice of our spiritual enemy if we never get familiar with the still small voice of our Lord. The Holy Spirit is not a loud and boisterous voice inside our heads - but he does give us a "niggling" we might call an urge, or an impression. If we ignore the subtly of his "voice", we sometimes find ourselves in some pretty awkward and compromising positions. As we respond to the "niggling", we find we become more familiar with the voice and we know the value of listening to it very closely.

Last, but not least, Jesus reminds his disciples of the evidence of how we are being led. The Lord leads with a protective oversight. The one who manipulates really leads so as to scatter - to bring chaos and distraction so we lose focus. Look at this another way - does the voice you are listening to the most "draw you closer" to the support and fellowship of other believers, or does it allow you to be pulled out into the open, able to wander away unnoticed? If the first is true, the voice is likely a good voice, free of manipulation and malice. If the latter is true, the voice is likely determined to see us in a place where we can easily be "picked off" and left in a place of desolation. If we miss the means by which they come to us (the gateway), and then miss the evidence of being familiar with the voice (the relationship), then we stand one more chance of recognizing their deception in the way they are leading us (the guidance). Miss all of these and we might just have already been deceived! Just sayin!

Huh? Whatcha say?

The more we get into this life here on earth, the more we realize it gets very complex very quickly. As little kids, the most complex things we had to worry about were whether we'd watch one cartoon over another, play with this toy over another, or choose to play indoors or outside. The choices we had to make were very complex at the time, but then we grew up! Now we have to figure out how to fix the broken sprinkler valve, where the best deals are on the groceries we need this week, how well we can stretch that paycheck with prices going up on everything, and who we can really count on to be there when we need help. Yes, life gets pretty complex as we grow older, but trust me on this one - we lend to the complexity of things when we forget to put God in the center of it all!

You are right and you do right, God; your decisions are right on target. You rightly instruct us in how to live ever faithful to you. My rivals nearly did me in, they persistently ignored your commandments. Your promise has been tested through and through, and I, your servant, love it dearly. I’m too young to be important, but I don’t forget what you tell me. Your righteousness is eternally right, your revelation is the only truth. Even though troubles came down on me hard, your commands always gave me delight. The way you tell me to live is always right; help me understand it so I can live to the fullest. (Psalm 119:143)

I believe God is right and he always does right. I may not understand why hurricanes happen, or why there is this pandemic right now, but I do trust that God is always right and he does right in my life. I also know there are forces at work in this world that aren't all that interested in how well I survive, or what evil intent they can unleash. Those are the forces that stand in opposition to God - they have been here since the beginning of time and if I understand scripture correctly, they will be here until God banished them to the pits of hell! Life is indeed complex - we need someone to help us navigate the complexities of life, don't we?

The truth of the matter is that we all receive a lot of 'coaching' to make 'good' or 'right' choices, but we don't always listen to the one who is trying to help us navigate this very complex world. We are being 'told' how to live, but do we always choose the correct way to live? If you are anything like me, then the answer to that one is a solid 'nope'. God doesn't change his mind - he gives us direction and it is always right. What we choose to do with his direction is a different matter entirely. We don't always listen to what we are being told. Mom and Dad tried to warn me against certain things such as not telling lies, not stealing things that weren't mine, and even how to hold a nail so you didn't smash your finger. 

Did I always do as I was told? There were indeed untruths told and things taken that bought me some time in the 'extra chores and no TV for a week' kind of mess, and I have had a few very sore thumbs to prove I don't always do as I am told! Maybe I don't want to admit it, but I am a little bit on the stubborn side - I take short-cuts, avoid things that I don't like to do, and even ignore good advice on occasion. What I will admit is that God isn't content to leave me in my 'non-listening' mode for very long. He keeps 'telling me' there are things I need to do, or other things I need to stop doing. He is just waiting for me to finally 'hear' him and obey him.

The way you tell me to live is always right - but truth be told about all of us - we need his help to understand his ways of living so we can live our lives to the fullest. We fall short of what God prepares for us simply because we don't listen with the intention of doing. When we finally realize that we need to 'pair' listening and doing, making the determination to listen to one voice and one voice only, we move into this realm of obedience. Will it be easy? Nope. Will it be rewarding? You betcha! Is it sometimes going to rub us the wrong way? At first, but then we begin to see the reasonableness of God's plans and purpose the more we get into what he asks us to do. So, listen with intention. You might just be surprised what you realize when you do! Just sayin!

It isn't useless

Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless. (Thomas A. Edison)

Some actually said 'not so nice stuff' about Edison. In fact, if Edison had listened to what others labeled as his limitations in life, we'd have been deprived of many a great invention. Did you know he didn't start communicating until he was nearly three and a half years old? When he finally did start, do you know what he did? He started asking how everything he touched or saw worked! He had a mind that was curious to understand the inner workings of things - from the simple to the very complex. His constant curiosity did not endear him to his school teachers, though. In fact, they thought his constant questions were hard to manage and they actually said he had an 'addled' brain! I guess 'addled' may be another word for 'genius'! At the age of twelve, he undertook the task of reading almost every book in the public library! Why? He wanted to learn - he hungered for knowledge - his mind was seldom at rest. I wonder how many of us have a hunger to learn like he did? Maybe not all the scientific stuff, with the intent of helping us figure out how things work, but in the spiritual sense - trying to 'figure out' how things work as a child of God?

The fear of man brings a trap, but he who trusts in the Lord will be honored. (Proverbs 29:25)

The fear of man is kind of like one of those 'limiting influences' in life that would do nothing more than shut down our discovery of things God has planned for us. Man might want to say we haven't done what was planned for us to do - but remember that God doesn't see any of us as useless just because we haven't done what was planned for us! He sees us as capable of getting with the plan again! I am one of those 'why' kind of people in this world. I ask 'why' a whole lot - my mind just works that way, I guess. I don't think this is a bad thing, but others may find it annoying because they are just content to not understand the 'why' behind things in their lives. There is nothing wrong with asking 'why' - but if I let your shut down my discovery by your criticisms of my curiously hungry heart and mind, I am falling prey to your 'trap' to keep me from experiencing all that God has planned for me.

Most things we 'plan' don't work out exactly as the plan called for, do they? We get reasonably close at times, but there were quirks and bumps along the way that we didn't count on when we 'planned' to do something or see something operate a certain way. I do a whole lot of planning, but very little actual 'implementation' of the plan - not because they weren't good plans, but because others swayed me into believing the plan was flawed. Whenever we listen more to what others say than we listen to the voice of God in our lives, we run the risk of missing out on the implementation of some pretty awesome plans. Each of those plans could be a great moment of 'discovery' in our lives, but when we fail to ever experience the plan, we are shutting down God's work in us. Listening to the voices that tell us we 'cannot' or 'will not' succeed with the plan is nothing more than falling into the trap of defeat. 

Some are defeated even before they take the first step into the plan! They have listened for so long to the voices of others telling them their plans are not right, or dumb. They are 'shut down' even before they 'start up'. Trust in the Lord to develop the plan and then continue to trust in him to bring about the fruition of that plan! Stop listening to what others are telling you won't work, or isn't within your ability. I doubt Edison ever knew he could invent the telegraph, much less the telephone or the light bulb. He never let the 'limitations' others put on him, or the criticism of his plans get him to a place where he stopped trying. In fact, those criticisms may have done more to fuel his creativity than shut it down! God has plans for you - great plans - stop listening to the voices that tell you otherwise! Even the 'failed plans' aren't really failures - they are launching points for the next phase of work. Just sayin!

Oh, I knew it!

I know a great many people who have developed this skill of answering a question with another question, as though that 'answers' anything. In some circles, such as counseling, this is a common occurrence - the questions asked are designed to get the person to come to a conclusion about the answer themselves so that they begin to problem solve through the situation. There are times when the most appropriate answer is indeed another question. If your child asks you why they have to eat their vegetables, do you think answering, "Because I told you to", is the best answer? It is highly likely the child will allow those veggies to just grow cold on the plate. If the parent was heard saying, "Johnnie, what do you think is the reason you should eat your vegetables?", what do you suppose they might receive as a reply? Perhaps the parent would hear the response, "Because if I don't, I will never get to watch TV this evening." If the parent hears this, what is it Johnnie is saying? He is equating doing something very unpleasant for him to some form of pleasant pursuit in return. In asking the right question, you see the underlying focus the person may actually have. Johnnie is not concerned with the great nutritional intake for his body, but rather that he misses out on the next episode of his favorite TV series!

Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?” He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?” He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.” “Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.” (Luke 10:25-28)

Jesus often took the tact of answering a question with another question, not because he was avoiding an answer, but because he was interested in having the one asking the question finally see the true motivation of their heart in asking it in the first place. Here we see the "motivation" of heart laid out for us - the scholar stood up with a question to TEST Jesus. His intent was not in really discovering the way to get eternal life - it was to attempt to expose something in Jesus which was contrary to the Law of Moses. What a disappointment he must have experienced when Jesus turned back to him with another question and he basically hung himself out to dry with the answer he was forced to give. Jesus was not going to say to the scholar, "Let me interpret the scripture for you, since you are only mortal." He "honored" this man's studies in the scripture and asks how "HE" interprets what the Law requires. I think the scholar must have been a little taken aback by Jesus "honoring" him with the opportunity to answer the question. "You have answered this very well, Mr. Scholar - now, get busy doing it and you will have this eternal life," really did not sit well with the scholar. The scholar felt "boxed in" a little by his own answer - so he looks for a "loophole" to give himself an "out". 

"Hey, Jesus, who is my neighbor?" Isn't it just like us to want a loophole? We clearly show we understand the requirements, but then we want a way out! We just don't want to eat our vegetables because we don't like lima beans! We know they are good for us, containing the "right stuff" to help us stay strong, but those pesky lima beans just give us cause to pause. Maybe it is a texture thing, or just maybe we cannot stand the smell. Regardless, we want a "loophole" that will not "bind" us to our "understanding" of the value of their intake. By definition, a loophole is a means of escape or evasion. Sometimes we use a question to attempt to evade the true disclosure of our heart. At others, we use it to cover up our lack of understanding. Either way we are attempting to find the way of escape. We want to evade the "rule" or create enough "ambiguity" with the rule so as to "water it down" enough to avoid the consequences of the rule. It is like when the child asks, "If I eat five lima beans, may I watch TV?" The intent is to "bargain" his way out of eating the entire serving - so he can move on with what he finds more enjoyable. We often use questions to "bargain" our way out of some understanding we have, don't we? The man's understanding of the Law goes beyond the surface of just being a good person. The scholar answers he would love God with all his passion and prayer. When passion gets behind our action, we find ourselves just a little more "vested" in the action, don't we? 

In answering this way, the scholar was pointing out he "knew" the principles of serving God - with depth of heart and honesty. When we love God with all our passion this is depth of heart - when we love him with all our prayer, we are opening up to him in honesty. When the scholar says you put a little "muscle" into your love, he is probably saying that man needs to put feet to their words. In other words, you don't just say you love God and want to serve him - you show it in your choices. The scholar also points out that the mind plays an important part in serving God - bringing what we "know" about God into practice in our own lives. The scholar really boxed himself in when he added the last statement about loving his neighbor as himself. Now he had no real way of escape because Jesus was prepared for the next question - "So, how would you define neighbor, Jesus?" His reply, "Let me tell you a story and then you decide who PERFORMED the acts of heart, mind, and service which exemplify a good neighbor." Jesus used the man's own answer to present the answer the scholar thought would trip Jesus up somehow. In telling the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus then turns to the scholar and asks the scholar to point out who was the "neighbor" in the story. The scholar's answer? "The one who treated him kindly." Uh oh! Exposed by your own question! He came to Jesus with an attempt to TEST Jesus. In turn, Jesus uses the "testing" questions of the scholar to "test" the scholar's own heart! This is so like Jesus! He uses the "testing" questions of our own heart and mind to "test" the real intention of our hearts and the wisdom of our minds. The next time you ask Jesus a question and hear a question in reply, just know he is asking because he knows we already know the answer - we just need to recognize that we do! Just sayin!

Your calling has found you

I think we sense some form of 'longing' for success, but more than that we crave something that will be lasting and have a great significance in this world. We all want to understand our genuine calling in this world so we can understand what will give great significance and be of lasting meaning on this earth - but more than that - we want to know what we do that will be of significance into eternity. To be called means we have more than a general knowledge of what we are to be doing - it means we sense we have a deeper purpose in this world. We would all like the scriptures to declare plainly what our 'calling' is in this lifetime. Calling is about who you are, not so much what we do. God wants us to be in relationship with him, then he will ask us to do something - it isn't the other way around. I think we get this confused - we think we have to do something, but we forget that all calling begins with living a holy life.

"I am being held in prison because of working for the Lord. I ask you from my heart to live and work the way the Lord expected you to live and work." (Ephesians 4:1)

What and who we are 'becoming' - set apart believers who enter into the rest of Christ and the passion of his holiness - is to be our primary focus on this earth. We are to become like Jesus - then the things we begin to do will have significance, no matter how 'insignificant' they may seem. We aren't 'called' to a career - we are called into relationship. We get this backwards most of the time, believing rather that we need to focus on what our career should be in this world. While it is important to understand our career choice, we have lots more than a career in this world. Who we are is much more important than what it is we do for a career. Guess what, even being a mom or dad, friend or associate - these are callings, but they aren't who we are! We are the chosen of God - children of the Most High King of the Universe. 

When we focus on our relationship with Jesus, we begin to realize how it is we are 'called' into these various other relationships and 'things' we are doing on this earth. I think this is what Jesus had in mind when he reminded us to 'put first the Kingdom of God'. When we come to Christ, an exchange of heart occurs. The hardness of our sinful heart begins to be replaced with the humble and pliable heart of Christ. We have an exchange of our very core make-up. We might want to think that didn't change who we are on this earth, but it changes everything! We think we will do important things because of our capacity, talents, or skills, but trust me on this one - - - God uses these, but they aren't as essential to the 'important things' we will do as it is to remember Christ is the one who is at the center of our lives.

Whatever is at the center will have the greatest impact on the whole. You cannot 'do' more in your talent or ability than you can by keeping the right 'who' at the center of your life. That is why I emphasize keeping Christ central in our lives so frequently. We need that time in relationship with him, so we will serve with integrity, live generously, and share the greatness of his love with others. The 'who' will make all the difference in whatever it is we 'do' in this world. Don't focus on the 'do' - focus on the 'who' and you will be empowered like never before. Just sayin!

Oh, listen, then do! I get it!

The Golden Rule - I even have a ruler with the words printed on it! This is one of the most common 'rules' of the Bible, often repeated by many an individual who has no idea they are quoting scripture! Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Did you ever stop to consider how Jesus opens this statement? If you look closely, you will notice he says these words to anyone who is listening - really listening to what he has to say. The beginning point of all teaching in our  lives begins with listening - then it moves into the doing part. Sometimes we get this backward and attempt to do before we hear!

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:27-30)

Jesus is speaking these words - the setting or timing of when they were spoken is important to understand.  He is under attack from those who should be shouting in praise of his works.  The Pharisees see him "mixing with" common sinners and criticize him terribly, publicly ridiculing him for the company he keeps. Rather than celebrating that he is reaching out to those in the greatest need, they criticize his choice of friends. He is criticized for his timing in doing what he is doing. He heals on the Sabbath - seen by his critics as a "work" by those of Rabbinical teaching. Their hearts are so "into" the rule-keeping (doing) that they fail to see the needs right before them (listening). He has just finished the appointment of his twelve disciples - calling them to be his closest companions during the ministry he performed on this earth - something we should not gloss over as we look at his timing in speaking these words.

There is one thing I have learned over the years - if we are prepared for the journey, the path is easier to travel. It is when we are unprepared to travel where it is we are called to travel that we struggle with the pathway we are on. At the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus deals with one of the most difficult "roads" that any of his disciples must walk - the road to forgiveness. Why does he begin with this teaching? I believe it is because Jesus wanted his disciples to know that they'd find themselves walking it over and over again. He wanted them to be prepared for a very long journey. The journey would involve many opportunities to put into practice the principles they were being taught - hearing, then doing.

Oftentimes, forgiveness is a journey we'd rather not travel alone, but we often find ourselves as the only ones realizing that the journey is necessary. We recognize that there is the need to forgive - bringing restoration into a damaged relationship - but we feel as though we are the only ones traveling the road. Those who may have committed the offense may not even realize that they play a part in the journey. It is important to remember we NEVER walk the path alone - Jesus is alongside each step of the way - even when the ones involved in the offense are unaware the journey has even begun. It is a road that must be traveled frequently - over and over until the journey is completed. Jesus was asked by one of his disciples just how many times he must forgive. He posed a question and suggested an answer that seemed quite generous - seven times was his proposal. To that, Jesus answered, "Naw, seventy times seven....", and at that answer, jaws dropped. Forgiveness extended over and over - until it is complete.

It is an uninvited pathway - we don't forgive just because another asks us to travel that path with them - we initiate the journey, often without anyone else realizing the journey has begun. This is quite evident in Jesus' words to his Father on the day of his death, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Those who needed his deepest forgiveness did not seek it - in fact, they did not even know they needed it. Our offenders often don't seek forgiveness - ours is the path to them - we take the first steps. It is an unconditional and costly journey. There is no "trip insurance" with the assurance that your "investment" will be fully enjoyed and participated in by all who take the journey. There are no "conditions" under which the journey can be "refunded" if the destination is not reached by all involved in the offense. In other words, we pay the price - others enjoy the benefit - often without realizing the price that was paid.    

So, although it is a difficult road to travel - it is a necessary one. Jesus began his ministry with his disciples revealing this much needed lesson of life. Forgiveness begins with us taking the first step. Forgiveness is possible only because of the first step taken. Do unto others...we call this the "golden rule" by which we are to relate to one another. Easier said than done. It is a difficult path to walk, but the rewards of the journey are astronomical. There is nothing more binding than bitterness. There is nothing more weighing upon us than a load of unforgiveness. There is nothing more costly to us than forgiveness that is not sought, or is not "deserved", but which is given freely from a listening heart. 

There is nothing more freeing than unconditional forgiveness - taking the first step. There is nothing more enlightening than seeing the other person through the eyes of Christ. Equally, there is nothing more rewarding than the steps you take toward your offender. A tough journey at that, but a necessary one! Walk on!

I think I have separation anxiety!

Dear friend, do what I tell you; treasure my careful instructions. Do what I say and you'll live well. My teaching is as precious as your eyesight—guard it! Write it out on the back of your hands; etch it on the chambers of your heart. Talk to Wisdom as to a sister. Treat Insight as your companion. They'll be with you to fend off the Temptress—that smooth-talking, honey-tongued Seductress. (Proverbs 7:1-5 MSG)

Scripture speaks of Wisdom and Insight as a person - the person of Jesus Christ. God's primary purpose in telling us of the 'person' of Wisdom and Insight is for us to get to know Jesus' character a little better. The character of a person is what we sometimes call the 'real person'. A person's character is more than their personality - it is made up of their code of moral conduct and even their consistency in being honest or true in their actions. Keeping the commandments of God has great reward - a reward of developing the character traits we so often read about when we discover the truths of Christ within scripture. All of character is formed by the keeping of a two-part command: 1) Do and 2) Treasure. One is an action, the other a condition of the heart that influences the action. The reward of the action - life will be well for us.

There is this wisdom that comes from wise counsel and then there is the wisdom that comes from the Word of God - both combined are to be as precious to us as our eyesight. I remember a time when I had to have one eye patched for over a week due to a problem with the cornea of my eye. The pain in my injured eye was so significant that the other eye had a "sympathetic" response to the pain, making it almost impossible to keep my good eye open and responsive to stimuli. The doctor was uncertain if my eyesight would be affected by the injury to the cornea and he actually had nothing hopeful to offer me as I recovered. I naturally felt anxious about the possibilities of losing my eyesight or having some permanent impairment from this ulceration that had formed. Why? We depend on our eyesight so very much. Yet, if we are totally truthful here, we almost take it for granted. There is a warning to us of taking God's leading and direction (his wisdom) for granted - whether it comes through the wise counsel of a friend, the tender nudges of the Holy Spirit, or the personal revelation of truth from the Scriptures - it is never to be taken for granted.

We are to talk to Wisdom as to a sister or brother; treat Insight as our companion. Think about the very nature of our Savior. He is closer to us than a sibling - as a matter of fact, he is our older sibling! My two grandsons are inseparable. The youngest follows after the oldest, getting into his "space" as much as humanly possible - even to the point of falling all over him with hugs and physical affection - and sometimes wrestling matches that don't always end up as well as he'd hoped. When they are separated - there is a tendency of the younger to want the oldest back. Is this is our relationship with Jesus? Are we earnestly "connected" to him as our sibling? Are we lavishing him with our affection and praise? Are we lost without him in our 'space'?

Jesus is our wisdom. He has the ultimate knowledge of what is true and yearns to show us truth at every turn. He knows what is right and he couples that with the understanding of what actions produce right living. It is nice to have a "big brother" to look up to for direction in our lives. Treat Insight as your companion - what better companion to have than Insight. Jesus has the complete understanding of the motivation behind our every action. We don't even possess that on our own - if we did, we probably wouldn't have done half of the dumb stuff we have done in this lifetime! No wonder God urges us to spend time getting to know our "sibling", Christ Jesus! He wants us to have our lives deeply affected by the one who can reveal even the deepest secrets of our heart and bring true revelation of sound judgment into our circumstances. When we get to know Jesus with this kind of intimacy, we can be assured that we have all we need to avoid the tempting seductress we can easily call "sin" in our lives.

Let's get to know our "big brother", Jesus! Talking frequently with him and spending time in companionable enjoyment of his presence is not a short-cut to some 'special place', but it is a 'space' to be experienced as often as possible. Perhaps we will develop the heart of a loyal sibling, never wanting to be separated from him, always seeking him out, and never being afraid to get in "his space" as often as possible. Just sayin!

Don't is a mighty powerful word

Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests,  but take interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude Christ Jesus had. (Philippines 2:3-5 NLT)

Don't is a hard word for many of us. In fact, it is not uncommon for us to hear that word and then almost feel challenged to do it anyway! It is as though we know we shouldn't because we have been advised it would be unwise to do it, but there is a defiant part of us that wants to know why or what will happen if we do. I am not unlike others in this matter, for don't doesn't always work as enough of a deterrent to keep me from trying whatever it is. This means we might just need a little bit better of a deterrant!

What things act as deterrant in our lives? There are probably more than we might think, but here are just a few to get us thinking. We might be deterred because we have some fear, either natural or learned, of whatever it is we are challenged with. Fear can be a good deterrant, but it can also be a paralyzing one. We might find the breaking of trust as a deterrant, because an action in the direction we are advised not to go would result in trust between us and another being broken, sometimes irreparably. It is also quite possible we see the thing as not worth doing, so we more readily resist doing it. Regardless of the reasons for not doing something, we sometimes don't have the right filters working in our life to keep us deterred from doing it.

One of the most powerful deterrant we can have in operation in our lives is that of God's word. This is why we are told to hide it away in our hearts...so it will be there when we hear don't and are faced with the desire to do. Another very present deterrant that of the Holy Spirit presence in our lives. His still small voice often challenges just enough to pay closer attention to the command or advice to not do something and reminds us of the consequences if we do. As a child, considering the consequences didn't always keep me away from whatever it was I was told not to so, though. As I got older, I had learned there were consequences to be dealt with if I chose that particular action. Often it is the consequence that acts as an effective deterrant.

One thing must be kept in mind with any "reason" we might choose to not do something and that is the desire to have the same attitude as Christ exhibited in his example to us as he walked this earth. There are times when the deterrant we need to embrace is that little question, "What would Jesus do?" It is often very effective to just consider this for a moment and we will more than likely choose to obey rather than follow our own path. So, deterrant aren't bad, but they are only effective if we heed them! This means our desire to be like Christ must be stronger than our desire to do our own thjng. To that end, we need all these 'positive' deterrants in operation in our lives. Just saying.

Stupid or Wise?

The late Walt Disney reminds us the "way to get started is to stop talking and begin doing." It is quite easy to talk - another thing to actually put actions to those words! There are times when my words get the best of me, though - especially when I commit to do something before I really count the cost, or determine if I even have any enthusiasm toward the task at hand. In so doing, I commit myself to something I neither wanted to do, nor will I enjoy doing in the long run. Maybe you have done similarly, finding yourself smack-dab in the middle of something you absolutely dread will never end. When you are there, what you do next may actually determine just how long you stay in that state of misery! Most of us wouldn't dream of admitting we were wrong in making the commitment to do something, but those of us who actually realize it was worse to make the commitment than to admit it was wrong to make it might just realize a release from the commitment once we do! Others may actually see this as a strength in us - while we may think they will see it as a weakness.

8 You praise people for their intelligence, but no one respects those who are stupid. 

(Proverbs 12:8 ERV)

I am a "doer", which means I don't find much satisfaction in just "standing by" or "lolly-gagging around" when there is a task needing to be accomplished. Oftentimes, this works to my disadvantage, because I bite off more than I can chew! If you really want to evaluate whether you are taking on more than you should, just look at your "to do" list. If it is longer than your day, it is probably too much! When I first went into management, I had to learn the hard task of delegating some of the work that needed to be done. I had to engage others in the decisions being made and I had to paint a bigger picture for them so they would know where we were headed. Needless to say, those lessons were learned by trial and error. I made a whole lot of errors by enduring a whole lot of trials! 

It is honestly "stupid" to commit one's self to something just because you felt pressured, thought you could do it better, or maybe you were just too proud to admit you couldn't do it. Either way, you will be miserable. Wisdom exercised in choosing your commitments is never wasted. As our scripture states - no one can expect praise when they are over-extended, over-committed, and over-the-edge. We find praise comes when we are "doers", but peace comes when we are doers of the right stuff! Just sayin!

Do or do not...

How can a young person live a pure life?  By obeying your word. I try with all my heart to serve you.  Help me obey your commands. I study your teachings very carefully so that I will not sin against you. Lord, you are worthy of praise!  Teach me your laws. I will repeat the laws we have heard from you. I enjoy following your rules as much as others enjoy great riches. I will study your instructions.  I will give thought to your way of life. I enjoy your laws. I will not forget your word. 

 (Psalm 119:9-16 ERV)

"Do, or do not. There is no try." (Yoda - Star Wars) "I'll try" is one of the most overused phrases in the English vocabulary! We "try" to make it to some event that we really don't want to go to anyway. We "try" to learn how something is done, but there is no real joy in our effort and we'd rather just avoid it anyway. We "try" something new, but we know we won't see it very far because it isn't "our cup of tea" in the first place. We "try" to be consistent with exercise, but it is just plain hard and there are lots of other conflicts demanding time out of our schedules. You get the point - we "try" way too much and lack the follow-through to actually "do" very much!

There is just one thing we cannot compromise on in this lifetime - putting forth the effort to get as close to God as possible. It isn't a thing we "try" for a while and then just think it will be okay to ignore it. It is a consistent spending of time getting to know him and letting him show us just how much of ourselves he knows, but maybe we weren't aware of ourselves! Obedience isn't about "trying", it is about "doing" and this with consistency! In all our "trying", one of the most common things we don't realize is that if we'd simply ask God's help with our consistency, we might actually find it comes more naturally and with even more "tenacity" than we might ever dreamed possible.

Do - or do not. There is really no middle ground there - either you are on the side of the fence "doing" or on the one of "not doing". It is pretty much impossible to ride the fence on this one. Consistency isn't really "taught" as much as it is "caught". When we begin to see new things, we want to explore other things that we might discover. As we start to find enjoyment in something, we make a mental (and heart) determination that there might be more we'd enjoy about whatever it is we are finding enjoyment in at that moment. So, we put forth effort to pursue whatever it is that brings us into newness or gives us that sense of enjoyment.

Obedience isn't difficult - it is consistency in that obedience that gives us the challenge. We know what we are "supposed to do", but we don't always have the "drive" to do it. It is the age-old issue of having our cake and eating it, too! We want to "do", but we start with "try" and before long we find ourselves "having tried", but not really "doing". God's greatest gift to us that can help us in our "doing" is this person resident within each of us - the Holy Spirit. His urging and prompting can often be the difference between us having "tried" and us actually finding ourselves "doing"! We just need to learn to listen a little closer to his prompting and we'd probably find ourselves realizing we are "doing" much more than we ever did when it was us "trying" alone! Just sayin!

The storms are coming

We hear of natural disasters all the time - complete with winds, rains, and the raging waters of tides overwhelming land.  In those places where such devastation occurs, we often see structures which appeared okay on the outside being totally destroyed by the floods which came or the winds which blew with gale force.  What gave the appearance of being "built well" may not have been "planned" well, nor "maintained" well!  There is a difference between erecting a structure and then erecting one which will withstand the forces which come against it!

Everybody who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise builder who built a house on bedrock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. It didn’t fall because it was firmly set on bedrock. But everybody who hears these words of mine and doesn’t put them into practice will be like a fool who built a house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. It fell and was completely destroyed.  (Matthew 7:24-27 CEB)

As Jesus spoke with the disciples (his followers) those many years ago, he gave us all some insight into how we "build" in our lives which we will do well to consider. First and foremost, we can count on storms coming - it is not something we can avoid in life.  We cannot find a place on this earth where we can escape the ups and downs of the weather - nor can we find a place in this world where we can totally avoid the good and the bad in life which comes as a matter of being part of this human race.  If we cannot avoid the storms, then we had better look at what Jesus said about being prepared for them!

- The foundation is what matters.  As we go through life, it doesn't matter how well we "decorate" our lives with this talent or that skill.  It matters what "foundation" we create in our lives.  In terms of foundations, it is more than the "materials" used for the foundation, but also the placement of that foundation into something which will remain strong "underneath" that foundation.  This is what Jesus refers to as "bedrock".  Two foundations are contrasted - one is sand, the other is bedrock.  We can erect a structure upon both, but one will erode away under the pressures of wind and water, while the other will resist these pressures because it has an "anchor". In life, we need the right "anchor" upon which we build - not just the right tools and materials with which to build.

- The materials must be put to use.  I have a home improvement store (one of those huge ones) about one mile from the house. I love to take time to go up and down the aisles exploring the various things they have there.  If I could have my "run of the store" without worrying about paying for the stuff, I'd be in "heaven on earth"! From the little fasteners which seemingly disappear as they are put into the wood, or the drill bit adapter which creates that perfect angle by which you get that screw in at a perfect 45 degree angle, I could create and create and create!  As long as those tools and materials remain at the local home improvement store, they are just dreams to me.  The same is true of the materials God gives us - unless we actually take them into our possession and put them to use in our lives, they are simply dreams we hold.  We have been given great resources, but if we don't put into practice the Word of God, it is like a great pile of resources which goes untapped.

- The storms will come, but we don't have to be obsessed with them. I don't make a living staring at those radar screens like the meteorologists do at our local TV stations.  Their mission in life is to give us as much "early warning" of inclement weather as possible so we stay safe and are prepared for what will come. If I spent all my life watching the horizon for what may come next, I would miss out on what is right in front of me today.  The wise builder doesn't build "in the moment", reinforcing the structure for whatever "weather" is predicted for the day.  He prepares for what will come by building for all manner of weather.  He doesn't build in a flood-plane because he knows waters might come in such force so as to wash away his hard work.  He doesn't forget to nail down the shingles because he knows the winds will come and leave him exposed if he does.  He doesn't neglect sealing the cracks and crevices because he knows the heat and cold will seek a way inside, making life hard to bear if he does.  He prepares in advance of what comes. I think we can take a lesson here - not to be so concerned about what will come, but to allow the right attention to the details of what gets "worked into" our lives up front so that we are prepared when the issues arise which come against us like gale force winds and raging currents.  Just sayin!

Think about it

Throwing caution to the wind is rarely the best mode of attack to take, especially when everything inside your head and body is telling you otherwise! Yet, we find today's media pages littered with all manner of people "throwing caution to the wind" in incriminating photos, not well-planned posts, and some pretty crazy "rants".  I never cease to be amazed at what people will post.  I've seen everything from the funniest little kittens tormenting big burly dogs to minions captioned with catchy reminders of the woes of life.  In between, I have also seen some not so sweet or kind things.  You probably have, too.  Watching the news these days is like filling your mind with all manner of hatred, disgusting acts of violence, and just plain unpleasantness.  I really listen to the news for the weather, so I would honestly just prefer to look at the app on my phone!  As my daughter and I were talking the other day, she mentioned she wasn't sure who'd she vote for in the upcoming election for President of the United States.  My advice to her was to wait and pray, because I knew the smear campaigns would mount and the mud-slinging would begin to take on epic proportions, with tons of people offering opinion after opinion about each of the candidates.  What is most disappointing is to hear someone show their true colors, then tell the media something entirely different the next day - as though they were trying to "save face".  I think this might just reveal a little more about the character of the candidate than he or she really knows!

People sometimes lie to hide their hatred, but saying bad things about someone is even more foolish. (Proverbs 10:18 ERV)

A couple of things I think we can benefit from in our "shares" on social media, public announcements which get recorded for history, and distribution of our opinions for all to hear and see.  I think we need to keep in mind the principles taught in Philippians 4:8 which say, "Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected." 

- Thinking first often prevents us from saying things we might have done well to not have said.  Initiating our conversation with a moment of thought to form our answer may not look like we are very "decisive", but it often shows us to be a whole lot wiser than if we just blurt out the first thing which comes to mind.

- Having some form of "filters" in place through which we run our thoughts or ideas may actually benefit us from just allowing everything "into" our brains and hearts which can "taint" the flow of what comes "out" of them.  This may be why we are told to think about what is "true", "honorable", "right", "pure", "beautiful", and "respected".  These are filters of sorts.  If it isn't true - don't speak it or even entertain it in thought.  If it is going to bring honor to someone then it doesn't need to be considered a viable option.  If it veers from what God has declared to be right in his Word, then we should just treat it as untruth.  If it lacks purity, it isn't worth us embracing for it will make all it touches impure by its presence.  If it lacks the qualities which make it see, hear, think, or act upon, it likely isn't beautiful.  Lastly, if it isn't revealing the excellence of character which God would want us to exemplify, it isn't to be respected or revered.

- Thinking again often prevents us from heading down a path from which there really isn't much of a positive return!  Thinking first may help us to go a different direction, or not even pursue the path all together.  Thinking again, after these thoughts have been through the filters outlined above may just keep us on track and consistent in our walk.

We can hide behind lies all of our lives, covering tracks we have made by our misspoken words, misguided deeds, and misplaced affections, but trust me on this - the right path, taken in the right timing, with the right companions won't leave tracks we are afraid to have another follow!  All of God's direction is given to affect how it is we "do" life.  When we embrace the wisdom contained in his wisdom (the Word of God), we find we go about "doing" what we won't be ashamed or embarrassed to have another follow.  Just sayin!

It is more than receiving

I want to pose a question to the readers today.  When was the last time you took notes on a sermon?  It could have been something kind of formal like typing them into your iPad or even the app you use on your smart phone, or even a paper journal of sorts.  It may have been "on the fly", such as when you take a portion of the bulletin and write in the margins or something, just to not lose track of that poignant point the preacher made.  It doesn't matter how you made those notes, I want to ask each of us what we "did" with those notes once we were finished recording them.  I think we'd all have to agree it is the "doing" which actually made those notes important - not the "taking" of them.  When we actually "used" those notes to change something we were about to do, had been doing a while, or just didn't realize was a habit we might not want to be doing any longer, we benefited from the note-taking.  Taking is one thing - doing is another.  Receiving is one thing - putting what we receive into use is very different.

Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. (James 1:22 ERV)

I received a lovely gift from my son this Father's Day.  Yep, before you wonder if this is a guest blogger today, my son gave his Momma a very nice gift on Father's day.  Why?  As he put it, I was the best father he ever had and he just wanted to remember me for being both parents for him.  As a single parent, you often worry you haven't done the right things for your children - as you can only be "one side" of the parent equation.  Yet, you tend to "compensate" in some ways you may not really know until one of your children tells you somewhere down the road that you did a pretty good job with the circumstances you had to live through.  So, as I opened my set of Ryobi power tools, complete with battery charger and even the tool bag, I was delighted.  It was not just that he had honored me with such kind words and a tremendous gesture of love, but that he met one of my unspoken desires.  

Before you think too hard on that one, I know most women wouldn't be delighted to receive power tools at any time of the year, much less on Father's Day.  I like using my hands to create things and one of my newest passions is to turn my backyard into place where there is comfort, color, and creative expression of my passion for nature.  I want to garden, but Arizona soil doesn't lend itself well to gardens - unless they are raised.  So, he has been reclaiming all kinds of wooden pallets for me and bringing them by on occasion.  As they have been accumulating, I take a few hours here and there to disassemble them and place the wood in neatly stacked piles.  I was doing all this by hand - until he brought me the nice reciprocating saw, circular saw and power drill!  Now I can disassemble quickly and have all the wood neatly stacked in a matter of minutes instead of hours!  

That wood is being recycled into my raised beds.  It may be a little marred in spots and not perfectly even like all that wood I could buy at the local lumbar yard, but it has tremendous character and I am recycling to boot!  I tell you all this to bring us to the point I started with.  My son could have given me this tool set and it could have joined a variety of other tools on the shelves in the garage, just being a gift I have received, but not really used.  I have a food processor I rarely use.  It is in a cabinet above the stove, but it takes up so much space on the counter, I don't bring it down very often.  It is easier for me to spend a little time chopping up the veggies by hand than bringing it out and then cleaning it all up after I am done with it.  It wasn't really one of those things I wanted - I just inherited it when my uncle passed away and there it sits.  It was "received", but never put to use.  It is kind of like when I take notes at church on that one salient point and then forget about it when I get into the car!

I am not unlike the rest of us, as I take notes, tuck them away carefully, and once in a blue moon, I actually go back to them to see what I wrote.  If something really catches my attention, I may spend a little time recalling why I took those notes at that time with such attention to detail, often realizing those words spoke me through a tough time.  What we put into action in our lives is what we have come to value the most.  I am a little sore this morning, and find a few mosquito bites on my body, with a bruise here and a scrape there.  It isn't because I spent the weekend camping or hiking.  I put those tools to use again this weekend, building another one of those beds with what wood I had piled up from those pallets I had been taking part little by little.  I still have a long ways to go to realize my dream for my yard, but I am getting closer and closer.  The tools received have become a blessing to me because they have made the job much easier.  Mom watches as I take on the projects with determination.  She worries about me losing too much fluids as I sweat in this summer heat, but as she sees what I accomplish in the end, she realizes the effort brought me much satisfaction.

It is the effort we apply to a matter that makes the difference.  We can be hearers of a great many teachings and then simply walk away unchanged.  We have the opportunity to just receive pallets, tools, and ideas - or we can spend the time "taking apart" those things which can become the building materials for great things in our lives!  We have the "supplies" and "tools" to do great things and realize tremendous blessing in our lives, we just need to do more than receive them!  Just sayin!