More than an icon

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. (I John 4:11-12)

We all desire to 'see' God in some form, don't we? Since the beginning of time, mankind has tried to 'see' God, going to the extremes of making 'images' of him so they could have a 'thing' to look upon that reminded them of God. The 'images' didn't even come close to really represent the character, power, or majesty of God. The truth is that God is 'evident' in each of us - his love being brought to full expression in us through the power of the Holy Spirit within. We don't need 'images', we just need to observe how God manifests himself through those around us. 

God's grace has a unique expression in each of our lives. We are not the same - so what makes us think God's 'image' would be expressed the same way through each of us? We begin to understand the many-faceted love of God as we look upon the way his grace changes the lives of those around us. As uniquely as his grace comes through our lives in the form of transformation, we learn little aspects of God's character and power - his love in action within the lives of those who have said a resounding "YES" to Jesus. 

We don't need images - we just need Christ in us. We need each other - relishing the glimpses into his heart that each of us uniquely exemplifies. We don't need more religion - we need more relationship. We don't need more truth - we need to use the truth we have been given. As we focus more on that ONE relationship that matters above all others - Christ First - we begin to see evidence of his love in our lives. That evidence becomes the ONE THING that may actually draw another into relationship with him. There is more power in an example of love than there is any number of words, images, or 'icons' of love! Just sayin!

What "nest" do you find yourself in today?

If you are like me, your conversation sometimes doesn't match your actions! You say something, but you do another.  It is a common problem we all face - getting this "doing" to match our "saying".  As I get a little bit older, wiser, and just closer to Jesus, I find the distance between the two narrows.  This is good news!  Yet, there still come times when there is a lack of congruence between the two.  Ephesians 5:1 says we are to "do as God does" - because we are his kids.  Kids emulate the actions they see in their parents.  This is why the saying, "Don't do as I do, but do as I say" doesn't make any sense to kids.  We follow examples, don't we?  We see something modeled and that is what we think we should do.  Even little goslings may be hatched into a nest of a mother chicken and before long, the goslings "emulate" the chicken - they don't know they are geese because they have only been around chickens!  Sometimes I think we don't know we are God's kids because we are always hanging around with a crowd who just doesn't know him.  This is why it is important to have these relationships where we challenge each other to grow more like Jesus - because we will become what we follow - do what we see - and grow closest to what we make our main focus in life!

Act like people with good sense and not like fools.  These are evil times, so make every minute count.  Don’t be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. (Ephesians 5:15-17 CEV)

Hang with the fools and you begin to act like a fool.  As you probably have heard me say before, a fool is just someone who doesn't even use the common sense God gave them!  They just march to the beat of a different drum - one which has them marching to the tune of "What is in this for me" or some such song.  Hang with the kids in love with Jesus and you find you begin to act like Jesus!  Imagine that!  To learn to "do as God does", we need to be cognizant of the company we keep!  We can act like real turkeys if we somehow end up in their nest!

As I have mentioned before, common sense is indeed a gift from God.  He knows there will be times when we just need to act - not having the time to kneel before him in prayer and spend a great deal of time "consulting" him on the matter.  We need to act spontaneously and within a short period of time. To this end, he gives us conscience and good sense to help guide us into the right course to take.  Now, these two things become more and more reliable when we spend regular time in the Word, taking in more and more of God's principles, and when we also have regular time just listening for what God has to say to us. In time, our minds reflect frequently upon the principles of "right living" God teaches and we find those principles are reflected in our conscious decision making.

We "do" what comes naturally to us.  When our nature is a little bit messed up from the get-go, we need a remake on our nature in order to have it be more reliably acting upon what is right and good.  This is the business of God in our lives - the remaking of our nature so we get these principles deep into our spirit, mind, conscience, and decision-making center of our lives.  We can make decisions based on emotion, mindful thought, calculated risk, or any number of ways.  When we make decisions upon what God bases all "good" and "right" actions, we are bound to see outcomes which support solid growth in our lives.

There are times when we will be at crossroads in our lives - those moments of indecision sometimes growing into days of indecision.  Where we get hung up sometimes is in the "following" what we know to be true.  One course will present some truth which beckons us onward, but then we almost talk ourselves out of pursuing it because of fear, insecurity, or the like.  It can be like this when we need to clear the air with someone - things having been said or done which just set two people at odds.  It may also be like this when we are faced with the next phase of what it is we are to do with our lives.  Decisions range from obedience to what we know to be true within relationship principles as God teaches them (don't harbor bitterness against another) to what we know to be true about what God wants for our lives (grace, peace, and blessings).

In those moments of indecision, we "follow" what has become the most familiar to us.  If our example has been anything less than God himself, we may find our actions will align with something very unreliable and untrustworthy.  This is why God wants us to get to know him deeply - to relate to and with him.  This is why he gives us solid example to follow - "nests" in which we can grow up to be just like him.  Be cognizant of the "nest" you honker down in - it can become the source of many a worry and trouble later on.  The gosling may not learn to fly if he hangs around with a chicken too long - for the chicken is content to scurry around the coop chasing bugs on the ground.  The gosling has mighty wings made for soaring long distance in flight - if he never gets to use his wings, what a pity that would be!  Just sayin!

Examples create reference points

A good many times, scripture simply points us to the things we should avoid, the outcomes of wrong choices, or the warnings which might just alert us to being a little too close to the edge with some of our life decisions.  I think this might just be because we all learn by the examples set by others – what we see will hopefully help us to make the right decisions ourselves.  As often is said, a picture speaks louder than a thousand words.  I don’t see many “pictures” in my Bible, but I do see “word pictures” – those things, when put together, actually form a reference point for us.  This is what examples do – they set a reference point.  Perhaps this is why it is so important to have a good example to follow – because they act as this point of reference by which the "compass" of our lives is set.

Mixed motives twist life into tangles; pure motives take you straight down the road.  Simpletons only learn the hard way, but the wise learn by listening.  A God-loyal person will see right through the wicked and undo the evil they’ve planned.  Whoever goes hunting for what is right and kind finds life itself—glorious life!  (Proverbs 21:8, 11-12, 21 MSG)

If you have ever stopped long enough to observe the example of a not so happy person - one who has chosen to live by their own standards and therefore is riddled with guilt because of the plethora of wrong choices they have made - you will probably observe some pretty obvious "examples" you will set within your mind as "avoid" points.  You might see an "avoid point" such as when the example set is one of pursuing injustice instead of standing up against it.  Or perhaps there is an "avoid point" dealing with the inability to forgive another who has offended them, allowing bitterness and resentment to eat away at their lives.  Regardless of the "avoid point", the example set and observed will become a thing we can learn to set our "compass" away from rather than moving toward it.

A simpleton learns by seeing others punished - the godly and wise learn by being open to all manner of instruction.  The godly don't just need to see the negative outcome, they also learn from the positive examples they have set before them.  One example gives us a reference point to aim toward - the other sets our reference point at a 180-degree point away from it.  When we set our compass toward right action, the outcome is right dealing.  Sometimes we need to follow the example of common sense - such as when water is rushing across the roadway at an unknown depth and speed.  We operate in the realm of common sense to avoid the passage across the roadway at that specific point.  We might see an example or two of those who did not operate in the realm of common sense, now stranded out in the wash, sitting on the top of their once shiny car!  All this does is lend to the common sense we already were relying upon.

Not all of life is as simple as relying upon common sense, though.  Sometimes the decisions we are called to make have no real clear-cut answer in our minds.  This is where exploring the examples we have been provided in scripture can be invaluable.  They act as "reference points" for us to conclude, with the help of the Holy Spirit, what actions should be avoided like the plague and what actions really are okay for our lives.  In the "grey areas" where there does not seem to be a clear example, admonishment, or commandment, we have to rely upon what we know to be true about what God expects of his kids AND our common sense.  Just as with the car in the roadway with the rushing water, we won't find this example in scripture - but enough examples of others going before us into those waters and the consequences they endured stand as enough of a reference point for me to stay on this side of that rushing stream!

If we can learn from the examples we have been given - in real life around us today, in scripture recorded for all times, or even in something depicted in a "created" environment such as a play or movie, we are indeed moving toward becoming very wise individuals.  I went to see a totally awesome live theatrical production of the Lion King with my best friend last weekend.  As the production was well-underway, many messages were spoken to me throughout the play.  Now, for most there, those messages probably didn't come across quite the same way, but here are only a few:

- When the young lion goes out on his own, pursuing what his deceptive uncle tells him will do not harm, forgetting the warnings of his own father, I thought about how many times I've listened to the voice of deception in my own life over the voice of my loving and compassionate heavenly Father.  

- When the consequences of his decisions impact the outcome for the entire "herd" of lions and lionesses, I thought about how what may seem like entirely innocent behavior on one person's part can impact the lives of a great many.

- As I watched the restoration of the young lion to his family, I thought about the embrace of a merciful and loving heavenly Father, watchful over each of our steps and renewing in his touch.

- As we cheered when evil was finally vanquished, I thought of the many times in my own life when God has come into the midst of the mess of my life and turned evil away, replacing it with his presence and his love.

Yep, even the examples of a child's play can open the heart to consider the wonder of an awesome God.  To pursue godliness and unfailing love is to find life, godliness, and honor. This is pretty plainly spoken of in scripture and we have many examples as reference points.  If the pursuit is in the right direction, the reward is available to the seeker.  The wise will conquer even the toughest of obstacles, but not so much because they are super-smart, but because they have learned to put into practice the things they have learned and to use the common sense they have been given.  Just sayin!

Hindsight sees God's extravagant love!

Are you a "people-watcher"?  You know - - you enjoy just sitting in the mall, sipping a cup of coffee, watching all the people pass by.  You observe their attire, hair styles, the way they carry themselves, and the people they are with.  In some cases, you see "attitude", as when the young men are gathered together in group, one working to outdo the other with a story of some kind.  At other times, you might just see the "loner" gazing absent-mindedly in the windows, not really intent on the "shopping", just on the fact they are out of their homes and escaping life for a little while.  When you stop long enough to watch another, you might just see a thing or two which you'd have missed otherwise!

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. (Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG)

I believe Paul probably was a people-watcher.  He observed their behavior, gleaning much from their "attitude", and coming to some conclusions as a result of what he observed.  The power of "observation" is a learned habit.  It just doesn't happen one day.  In fact, you have to learn to look beyond the surface to get really good at this - otherwise, you draw conclusions which are far from reality.  It would be like the game we used to play as kids.  We'd see people walking in the malls, then we'd make up some story about them.  Like the man with cowboy boots and Levis strolling along becoming the Sheriff intent on keeping justice in this hear town!  We saw what we wanted to see and formed the story around what we interpreted in our mind's eye!  But...in the real world, this is a dangerous thing!

Paul gives us the example we are to "watch" - God himself!  He is the one we should "observe" - taking in his "behavior" in order to learn how we are to approach life, answer life's questions, and create life's best outcomes.  Watch what God does - and then do it!  So, instead of just "creating" a story about God, we are to do like God does!  Now, in the make-believe world of the gentleman dressed as a cowboy, I don't think I'd be very comfortable strolling up to him and asking him if I could be his deputy!  But...in God's world of reality, I am quite comfortable asking God if I can be on mission with him!

Look at what we see in this passage.  "MOSTLY what God DOES is love you".  I added the emphasis here because I think it is important to realize God's greatest and most easiest observed attribute is his LOVE.  It is in his actions, even when we don't see it!  Look at how we learn how to make this attribute ours - we "keep company with him".  I have special friends - enjoying every moment of "company" I get to keep with them.  They fill my days with laughter, hold me close when I am low, and can just fill my "space" with warmth without even speaking or doing a thing.  At my weakest moments, nothing and no one else fills my "space" as well as Jesus, though.  In his extravagant way, he reaches into the "space" of our lives - loving us through to wholeness!  It is more than making the lame walk or the dumb talk.  He meets us at the point of our most desperate need and there, he transforms us.

Now, this may not be significant, but his love is learned in observing his extravagance.  His love is not miserly - it is extravagant.  In what actions can we observe the extravagance of God's love?  First, we see the extravagance of laying down his divinity to take on the form of a human - in coming as a babe in a manger.  We see the extravagance of his love in being willing to touch the untouchable in the world - those labeled as unclean by the others in society.  He never skimped on his love - making not only wine from water, but the best wine of the evening.  He always found time for even the least in the crowd - embracing the child, touching the grief of the mother who'd lost her only son, and restoring the guard's ear to full function after Peter attempted to lop it off.  Nothing is "outside" of God's extravagant love - he is willing to humble himself for the sake of another; give the touch of hope where no hope exists; and restore what we so foolishly destroy in our haste and misunderstanding.  Yet, his greatest display of love - his willingness to hang on a cross for our sins.  The man who knew no sin, becoming sin for all mankind.  Now, this bespeaks the ultimate sacrifice - the ultimate display of love.

When Paul reminds us we learn by observing, he is asking us to consider the many "extravagances" of God's love and then to begin to display those same extravagances in our actions.  It takes a little change in our focus to do this.  We have to begin to see the extravagances of God's love - first through our eyes, then through his.  I really never understood the extravagances of my parents' love until I was a parent myself.  In fact, as I was being loved through some of the ugliest period of my life, they were faithfully extravagant in their love, but I was oblivious to their extravagance!  I am older now, and I hope a little wiser.  As I look back at their example of love, I see the extravagance of God's love imitated in their lives.  It is like God opens our eyes to his "extravagant love" not so much when we are experiencing it, but almost after we have been through it!  Maybe it is because we have "clearer perspective" after the fact than we do when our emotions are all muddled up in the moment.

What examples of God's extravagant love have you been observing of late?  If we look hard enough, we might just see the example of his love in the one right next to us today.  If we are willing, we could be the very example of his extravagant love the one next to us needs!  Just sayin!

See one, do one, teach one

^1-2Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

(Ephesians 5:1-2 The Message)

Have you ever heard the saying, "See one, do one, teach one"?  In nursing school, that seemed to be the method they used to help us connect between what we were learning in the books and what we'd actually see, hear, smell, feel, etc., in caring for our patients.  For example, we'd listen to lectures on the diseases of the heart.  That lecture would be complete with signs and symptoms of irregular heartbeats, swelling in the extremities, and other "signs" that the heart may not be working as well as it should be.  In our clinical setting, we'd be asked to take care of patients with "heart conditions" so that we could begin to see what we have learned, recognize how the symptoms manifest, etc.  See one, do one - then teach one.  The last part of the learning process was being able to interpret what we were observing, teach it back to our classmates, and then we'd finally have a full picture of what we'd learned.

I think that kind of process is what Paul had in mind when he is telling us that we need to watch what God does and then do it.  We often don't really take time to "see" what God does - because we aren't really paying attention to the example he sets for us.  For some reason, we "like" the good stuff he does - like sending his Son to die for our sins, forgiving us without us having to jump through all kinds of hoops, etc.  Yet...we miss the fact that we are to "learn" from what he has done, is doing, and will do in our lives!  See one, do one, teach one!  God uses the same method!  We see his grace, we experience his grace, then we are expected to extend his grace!

How do we learn - we keep company with the one doing the teaching.  I think I learned more at the bedside with my instructors than I ever did in the classroom.  Just observing how they spoke with the patients, how they handled the examination, what they listened for, where they poked/prodded, etc., gave me a better understanding than all that stuff in those shelves of books I poured through nightly.  Oh, don't get me wrong - the book time was invaluable, but it was the actual "walking alongside" my instructor that helped me to "connect the dots".  That is how it is with our Christian walk, too.  The "book learning" (time in the Word on a consistent basis) is creating a set of understood precepts that will aid us in our walk.  Those precepts help us make right choices (right assessments).

In fact, without the right precepts to guide us, our assessment of what is in front of us may be quite wrong!  Remember, we learn by also "seeing" the example in action.  It is in the extension of God's grace that we come to appreciate the aspects of grace.  The concepts of grace are taught in scripture.  These are concepts like obtaining favor when our deeds would suggest something entirely unfavorable; being embraced in tender mercies when our attitude would suggest that we can do everything on our own; or being ever ready at our defense when our attentiveness to attack has become more like inattentiveness.

The precepts God lays out in scripture are "foundation" to doing - living by the example we see, hear, and have experienced repeatedly.  God's love was not cautious -  it was extravagant and without measure.  God's love was not selfish - it was extended even when we did not realize our need for it, regardless of how we acted toward it.  God's love was no limited - it was before time, will be throughout time, and will be forever in time; there is no end to his love.  With that type of example before us, Paul reminds us to take what we learn in the Word, begin to "model" those precepts/principles in the way we have seen it modeled by Jesus, and then become ambassadors of these precepts/principles to others.  See one, do one, teach one.

We imitate what we behold - are we "in the presence" of Jesus enough to have him as our primary example?  We are guided by what we put into our minds - are we really getting into his Word and allowing it to get into us frequently enough to allow it to change our thinking?  We learn by doing - are we applying what it is we are learning?  It is in the application that the greatest learning begins to "cement" in our lives.  Until I heard that first heart murmur myself, I really did not understand what it sounded like.  Now, I can hear the faintest murmur with skill.  How did I learn that?  I studied the books to know WHERE to listen.  I watched the experts to know HOW to listen.  I practiced what I was taught until I understood WHAT it was I was listening for.  It was a process - as is this thing we call our Christian faith.  A process of seeing one, doing one, then teaching one.  

We don't stop at seeing and doing - it is in our imitating of Christ that we are teaching the next one to do the same.  See Christ in action in your lives!  Do what he has done - love extravagantly, extend grace without being asked, and be available to meet the needs of others.  Teach Christ's love by your example.  In doing so, you are fulfilling the role for which God has created you!  See one, do one, teach one! 

Line upon line

11-14 God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

(Titus 2:11-14)

Titus is a teaching of Paul written directly to Titus as instruction on how to live as a godly man and to lead the church members with wisdom.  What we know from reading the first chapter is that Paul is concerned that Titus will establish local churches in Crete, ensuring that good leaders are in place who will be able to lead the people into right living.  Then he reminds Titus of the importance of mentoring relationships.  Older men and women, well-established in their faith, being solid examples for younger men and women to look up to.  Why is this important?  It is because we learn best by the example we see. 

Paul now begins to sum up the crux of the letter with these words we have in our passage today.  God's readiness to give and forgive is public knowledge!  Sometimes we think the things of God are hidden from us, but the scripture tells us differently.  God is ready to give - sometimes we just have to be ready to receive!  He is ready to forgive - sometimes we just have to be ready to repent! 

Paul's focus is on developing as Christians.  This Christian experience is more than a moment-in-time experience.  We grow fresh in our connection with Christ each day.  Paul's emphasis is on "being shown" how to turn our backs on the old stuff of our sinful life and to embrace the good stuff of the life in Christ.  That implies that we don't just "get it" - we need to be shown - we need examples.  I know this is true for me - an example speaks louder than any words in the "instruction manual".  I think that is why those modular furniture packages come with pictures, not just words!

A picture speaks louder than words!  What we can perceive through observation cements the words to an actual lifestyle - seeing right choices lived out helps us understand the truths we may be struggling with.  That takes it from being "ethereal" to being "real".  We have been granted "leaders" in the church that help us make this connection.  Yet, Paul is not stopping with the leaders.  He reminds Titus that the church also needs to be filled with "mentors" - older men and women who can lead by example.

I don't know who you have in your life that acts as a mentor for you, but the truth is that you need someone!  When we need to understand forgiveness, we benefit so much from the evidence of a lifestyle that shows the results of walking in forgiveness.  To see another embrace forgiveness, despite the ugliness of their past sin, and then to walk in freedom that forgiveness produces allows us to "connect-the-dots" of God's grace, our repentance, and his restoration. 

Did you know that scripture says that we learn "line upon line, precept upon precept"?  Yep, it does.  Guess what another word for mentor is?  Yep, you guessed it - preceptor!  So, if we really want to learn what God has in store for us, we would do well to align ourselves with preceptors who can help us learn "line upon line, precept upon precept"!  In turn, we become that preceptor to another who needs an example to follow.  If you don't think of yourself as an example today, just wait - - - God is making us into the best example of his grace we could possibly imagine! 

The strength of a leader

² When good people run things, everyone is glad,
   but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans. 

(Proverbs 29:2)

Much can be said about "good leaders", but the most frequent thing you will heard mentioned about "solid" leadership is the fact that people have no problem "getting behind them" in loyal support.  Good leadership does not mean that everyone agrees with every decision that is made, but that they can apply themselves to the vision of that leader and move forward in faith that the plans will accomplish the end result.  We find leaders in every area of our lives - at work, in our homes, in the community in which we reside, and over countries. In fact, we often fill the role of leaders in some arena of our lives. Leaders play an integral part in "directing" our future. Therefore, the leader must lead with integrity, passion and purpose - but the leader must also lead with interest in others, compassion, and openness of heart/mind.

I have been interviewed for leadership positions and in turn, have interviewed others who will fill positions of leadership.  One of the "questions" you often hear posed is "tell me about your most influential leader".  This question usually elicits a litany of character traits that exhibit commitment to the people they lead, an ability to create vision, genuine trust, etc.  All of these are positive traits.  No one ever says, "Well, my most influential leader ruled with a heavy hand, carried a big stick, and never wanted our input into decisions."  

Leadership qualities are exemplified in various people who stand as examples for us in scripture.  Here are but a few:

• Job - a husband, father, rancher, and friend of many.  When "misfortune" fell his way with his business, family, and fortune, he trusted God to bring provision to both his household and his "hired" workers.  He knew in his heart that God both provided the increase and allowed for the decrease - if that was true, he'd provide for the increase once again.  He kept his focus squarely on God's faithfulness through all his "down-turns".  Things may have appeared pretty bleak on the outside, but God was still on the throne in is life.
• Peter - an apostle in the New Testament church and a disciple who had followed Jesus during his earthly ministry.  Most think of Peter as a little bit of an impetuous man - acting without thinking.  That may have been the start of his "leadership" as a disciple of Christ, but it certainly was not his end.  Toward the end of his ministry, we see Peter moved by the needs of the beggar at the Temple Gate - moved enough to veer from his intended path to meet the needs of the man before him.  He connected with people, even when he did not see eye-to-eye with them as in his visit to the house of Cornelius (a Centurion leader, a non-Jew).  He allowed the "connection" between people who had needs, plans, and desires.
• David - a shepherd boy, called to be King over the land.  As a shepherd boy, he learned the importance of protecting those that you had been appointed to lead (his sheep).  Without his care and attention to their needs, he'd lose them to the "competition" (those pesky predators just waiting in the wings).  As King of Israel, he continued his "watchful care" over those he was called to "shepherd".  Yes, without question, he made mistakes along the way.  He displayed his humanity in those mistakes he made, but more importantly, he displayed his ability to admit he was wrong.  A trait not to be overlooked in a solid leader.

These are but three examples of leaders and their leadership traits.  The three things I really want us to see is that we can all be called to leadership at one point or another.  The qualities we demonstrate, the connections we make, and the honesty we maintain in those relationships will either ensure safety for those we lead, or create a slippery-slope for them to traverse.

Not only do we need to align ourselves with good leaders, but we need to be good leaders ourselves (in whatever arena of leadership we are in).  There are people that will either be elevated to realize their potential because of our "leadership", or they will be diminished in their purpose through the lack of connection we make.  Mentors are leaders - and we all mentor in one way or another.  The example we set may be just what another needs to realize their full potential in Christ.