On the hunt

Have you ever been on the hunt for something and just not be able to locate it? I have heard how insanely hard it is to find new appliances these days because of the pandemic slowing down the manufacturing and shipment of the appliances to stores. One friend shared that her fridge absolutely conked out and she had to shop everywhere just to find a replacement. When she finally found one, it was still going to be a week before it would be in stock and delivered! Even when she was 'on the hunt' and knew what she needed, it was insanely hard to find. For me, it is finding clothes that fit the way I like them to fit, in a style that is practical, and at a price point that won't break the bank. We all have those things that we are 'on the hunt' for from time to time, but it is the thing that we are on the hunt for each and every day that will either make us or break us. If the 'hunt' is right, the results are bound to be fruitful!

Whoever goes hunting for what is right and kind finds life itself—glorious life! (Proverbs 21:21)

Right and kind might actually be better translated "righteousness and mercy" - the aim of the hunt is twofold - be on the hunt for all that is right and never settle for something that isn't based in God's mercy. To be truthful here, I have 'settled' for a good many things in my days that were neither 'right', nor remotely grounded in God's mercy. They were things that 'looked good', but proved to be not so good for me in the end. We probably all have had those moments of 'settling' for something, then regretted it in the end, huh? God's plan is quite the opposite, but it involves us being willing to lay down what we 'think' we want or need, and then begin to obediently pursue the things he 'knows' we want and need.

I am called all the time by these folks that want to buy houses and will pay you cash for your home. They assume I still have a mortgage and that I may want to leave my home sometime soon. I stop them almost immediately when they declare their purpose for calling, politely telling them I have no interest in selling just before I begin to depress the receiver. Today, so many want bigger spaces. I might like a little more room and a huge shop in the back to pursue my hobbies, but I am quite content with what God has given to me. I may have a shed that I have converted into a workshop, but it does the job nicely. I don't need more - I need what is best for me and God always knows what that will be.

There are a couple principles here we should not miss. First, we have to be active in the 'hunt'. We don't find what is right and merciful just by sitting around doing nothing. A hunter will tell you there is a great deal that goes into the hunt in the way of preparation. Being in the right spot at the right time isn't by accident - it is purposeful planning and preparation. The same holds true in our spiritual life - we don't just latch onto good and righteous things in our lives because they fall into our laps. We have to pursue them with tenacity. 

Second, we have to know what we are want. If we just go window shopping, chances are we will buy things we didn't even need. When we are on the hunt for the refrigerator that has the dimensions that fit our household needs, we are more apt to search and search until we find it. Spiritual truths don't just come alive to us because we open our Bible verse of the day app. We have to really read it, look at it in context, and then ask God to reveal truth to us - how we need to use that scripture to become more like him in our daily lives. We pursue righteousness and mercy - seeking the right stuff, that fills the right 'space' in our lives is essential.

Lastly, we won't be on a fruitless hunt when we have hunted with this type of tenacity. We are bound to find righteousness and mercy when we seek God first and allow the others things of this world to become less important to us. Just sayin!

Just a little pause to look within

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? (James 2:14 NLT)

Just about every week I ask myself what my actions are revealing about my relationship with Jesus. Why do I ask this of myself? I guess it is because I know there is a root of selfishness in me that sometimes allows little compromises and unholy actions to slip into my life. I don't want these little things to become bigger things, so I spend some time just evaluating those actions in light of what scripture tells me about how it is I am 'supposed' to be acting. It isn't a bad thing for each of us to do on occasion - evaluating our actions to see what they reveal about our relationship with Jesus. We might just find our relationship needs a little 'tune up', so to speak. 

In the second chapter of James, the topic of showing preference to some individuals over others has been presented. Why? There is a human tendency to give some better placement in life based upon what they have, can do, or who they are. This means we give a lesser placement to others by the actions of elevating one over another. As a reminder of the limitlessness of God's grace, James wants us to recall salvation isn't a thing for the more 'fortunate' in life, but for the masses - evil, good, well, sick - it matters not what their condition is in this life - Jesus reached out for all of these. In this mix, we find ourselves - not sure where we fit on the scale, but in terms of God's grace, we are ALL equal. No one gets a greater degree or measure of his grace - grace is an equalizing force in ALL of our lives.

If our actions reveal we are not always allowing a view of others as 'equalized' through the grace of God, then we have a potential of being a little 'prejudiced' toward some and discount the worth of others. To this end, James wants us to remember there is no place for such prejudice in the house of God. A believer's heart should NEVER give any more preference to one over another - because grace draws us equally to the throne of grace and equally distributes the grace that perfectly makes us 'equal' in all respects.

Another way to look at our actions is in light of how Christ 'acted' toward others while he was on this earth. Herein is a view of what it is like to live out our daily walk. He was faced with all kinds of 'issues' and difficult people. In each occurrence, he found a means to reach beyond the surface of what others revealed or 'put forward' in order to meet the deeper need of their soul. I think we do well to consider how well we reach the 'soul need' of others around us. Are we just superficial in our relationships, or do we find ways to get at the 'soul need' that is buried a little deeper below the surface in these relationships? 

We may not always find we have great revelations of things we could do differently each time we do these evaluations, but trust me on this one - do it often enough and you will find there is ALWAYS something of God's grace we could embrace a little more! Just sayin!

The search is on

The one who seeks good finds delight...

(Proverbs 11:27)

I read a book once called "The Search for Significance".  The basis of the book was in finding out what it is that we really have "need" of in our lives.  We have lots and lots of "wants" that we often confuse as "needs" in our life.  Sometimes it may be something like desiring a better job instead of being grateful for the one we have.  The desire is a "want", while the actual job we have meets the "need".

The title of the book grabbed my attention.  I guess that is what the author intended - because we often are drawn to a book by its title or cover.  This morning, I'd like to focus on two words from that title:  Search and Significance.

Search basically has three definitions:

1. To look into or over carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something.  The idea is this "thoroughness" of examination that we put something (or someone) through before we embrace it (or reject it).  There is a desire to know the "ins and outs" of what it is we are examining - nothing being left that we don't discover in our examination.
2. To look through or to explore by inspecting possible places of concealment.  Usually, when we are seeking in this manner it is because we "really" want to find something that we consider important to us.  It is like when we put something away "so carefully", only to discover that we don't remember where we put it when we need it!  The hunt is on!
3. To look at as if to discover or penetrate intention or nature.  This is probably the most significant definition of this word because it moves us from "head knowledge" (knowing something) into a place of "heart knowledge" (knowing why something is the way it is).  This type of searching gets at the root.

Significance has four definitions that I'd like us to explore:

1. Something that is conveyed obscurely or indirectly.  In other words, the importance of what it is we are seeking is not always obviously displayed (it may be found only when we "peel back the layers").
2. Something conveyed or implied as important.  We often refer to something as "significant" whenever we have elevated that thing or person to a place of importance in our lives.  Yet, what is important to you may not be as important to me, so this means that significance is determined by how an individual "relates" to something or someone.
3. Something that reveals meaning.  We sometimes refer to something, an event, or an individual as significant because there is meaning conveyed in the contact with that thing, person or event.  
4. That which is caused by something other than chance.  This is the definition that I want to emphasize the most (it is the most "significant" definition).  There are things that happen that are purposeful - not just a cosmic event of "chance".  There are people in our lives placed there for a season - not just by "chance", but to fulfill a purpose.  When we begin to realize that the event or the person is not just there "by chance", we begin to explore so as to discover the purpose (the significance).

There is one thing I've discovered in my walk on this earth - if I don't know what it is that I am going after, I will never know if I am successful in my search.  If I am aimless, I seldom hit the target!  In order to know what it is I am aiming for, I must answer four questions:  1)  What am I searching for?; 2) Why is this thing / person / event important to me at this point in my life?; 3) What is it that I see as fundamental to getting at the root of the issue?; and 4) Who is it that I am willing to share this search with?  

I am never expected to "seek" alone.  We are given each other for the purpose of walking this journey together.  The "search" is on - who is it that you will partner with in this search?