Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Double standards
Ok I have to admit that I have different standards for different people. Let me explain and then you are free to disagree if you feel so led. My father is in his sixties and will generally have a six-pack in his refrigerator. I don’t have a problem with this because that six-pack will last for most of the summer and my father has never had a problem with alcohol. On the other hand if my daughters youth Pastor, or youth sponsor had a six-pack in thier refrigerator, (even if consumed responsibly and legally) my response would be quite different. Any thoughts??
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Truth
While ninety-nine first year law students sat in a lecture hall listening to their professor, a man entered the room, took the professor’s laptop off the table and left the room. The professor paused and then handed out a questionnaire to each of his students on what they had just witnessed. This was not a real crime but was staged for the class. The students were to answer simple questions regarding the perpetrator. Was it a male or female, approximate age, physical characteristics including dress and a brief summary of the event? The professor answered the same questions, but he had the opportunity to sit down with the perpetrator and they filled it out together.
Out of 100 surveys there was a large range of answers.
93 - male
54 - white
26 - black
12 - Hispanic
5 - Asian
3 didn’t see a thing
78 - wearing a ball cap
64 - hooded sweatshirt
Most said 18-24 but some said as high as 45-50
After all the results were shared they discussed it together and tried to get a consensus. People were able to make a case for their point of view, and yet there were many who stood by their original answers even when in a small minority. The professor was able to persuade the majority of the class on sex and race but still met opposition on age and dress. Even thought he told the class he had talked with the perpetrator first hand.
There is only one correct answer to all of these questions. The only correct answer is called the truth. Truth is the truth no matter what you believe. Whether you believe he had a blue sweatshirt or a shirt and tie, he was wearing what he was wearing. It doesn’t change the facts. You may be willing to bet your life savings on one issue, but whether you are right or not will not change what really is.
We can set in stone our perception of who God is based on what we believe, but that will not change who God really is. It may confirm a true fact or may be a part of a larger misconception, either way, God still remains the same God. We learn to form our beliefs based on experiences and the things that seem to support those beliefs. A child from an abusive home may see things a lot differently than a child that grows up with unconditional love and respect. Yet there is only one God. We are fortunate to have a first hand account of who God is. The Bible is God breathed, God inspired. God sent His son to earth to save this world. So if you think God is fed up with you and there is no hope, stop looking to your perspective and start believing the account that comes from the source. Truth remains the truth no matter what we believe.
The above scenario is fictional and the stats were made up : )
Out of 100 surveys there was a large range of answers.
93 - male
54 - white
26 - black
12 - Hispanic
5 - Asian
3 didn’t see a thing
78 - wearing a ball cap
64 - hooded sweatshirt
Most said 18-24 but some said as high as 45-50
After all the results were shared they discussed it together and tried to get a consensus. People were able to make a case for their point of view, and yet there were many who stood by their original answers even when in a small minority. The professor was able to persuade the majority of the class on sex and race but still met opposition on age and dress. Even thought he told the class he had talked with the perpetrator first hand.
There is only one correct answer to all of these questions. The only correct answer is called the truth. Truth is the truth no matter what you believe. Whether you believe he had a blue sweatshirt or a shirt and tie, he was wearing what he was wearing. It doesn’t change the facts. You may be willing to bet your life savings on one issue, but whether you are right or not will not change what really is.
We can set in stone our perception of who God is based on what we believe, but that will not change who God really is. It may confirm a true fact or may be a part of a larger misconception, either way, God still remains the same God. We learn to form our beliefs based on experiences and the things that seem to support those beliefs. A child from an abusive home may see things a lot differently than a child that grows up with unconditional love and respect. Yet there is only one God. We are fortunate to have a first hand account of who God is. The Bible is God breathed, God inspired. God sent His son to earth to save this world. So if you think God is fed up with you and there is no hope, stop looking to your perspective and start believing the account that comes from the source. Truth remains the truth no matter what we believe.
The above scenario is fictional and the stats were made up : )
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Stressed out?
It is very easy to look at our circumstances and feel overwhelmed. When our son was at Riley’s Children’s Hospital we didn’t know if he would ever come home with us. Not sure if he would ever be able to walk, talk or understand. Another mother also shared her frustration, saying that her full term baby had jaundice and she didn’t know when they would be able to go home. …What?!?! She had no idea what we are going through. Our son was dieing and she was stress out about jaundice.
Perhaps you could compare your situation with hers or ours. If we start making comparisons to justify our “bad day” then we would quickly realize we aren’t doing that poorly after all.
The bottom line is that “stress in relative”. Are we reacting to our situation or are we responding to it? We can go to God and show him the size of our mountain or we can go to our mountain and show it the size of our God.
We can celebrate both the good times along with the bad times. Consider Ben Ownby, who was abducted in January. His abduction triggered not only his own rescue but also the release of Shawn Hornbeck, abducted four years earlier.
God can turn the bad things we go through for good. It is also possible that most of those bad things really aren’t so bad after all.
Perhaps you could compare your situation with hers or ours. If we start making comparisons to justify our “bad day” then we would quickly realize we aren’t doing that poorly after all.
The bottom line is that “stress in relative”. Are we reacting to our situation or are we responding to it? We can go to God and show him the size of our mountain or we can go to our mountain and show it the size of our God.
We can celebrate both the good times along with the bad times. Consider Ben Ownby, who was abducted in January. His abduction triggered not only his own rescue but also the release of Shawn Hornbeck, abducted four years earlier.
God can turn the bad things we go through for good. It is also possible that most of those bad things really aren’t so bad after all.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
FIRE
In the village of Perfidy the villagers lived much like we do today. Hurrying from place to place, working hard and trying to balance life’s priorities. The Perfidians were polite, stopping to help a neighbor was expected and back yard barbeques always drew a crowd. It was a nice place to live and raise a family.
Walter was a man well known by both young and old alike. His tall frame, slicked back gray hair and tattered briefcase were a pleasant sight to those in the village. He never held back an interesting story or a cute joke. A cup of coffee or a tall glass of iced tea would often accompany such a visit. Walter was a salesman for a fire extinguisher company. His territory was the entire village and everyone was a potential client. Walter had a way of making anyone feel at ease. He would often listen for hours, as men would open up about problems at home or struggles at work. Walters gentle ear and kind words could topple down even the biggest of difficulties. Although it was no secret that Walter’s job was to sell extinguishers, he rarely would bother with the sales pitch. He knew that if you wanted to buy, all you had to do was ask. The fact was that nearly everyone already owned some kind of extinguisher. Pushing sales on his friends didn’t seem natural and he wasn’t willing to risk the friendship over just another sale. With that Walter had many friends and great respect.
Unfortunately, the people of Perfidy were hardened to the fires that plagued their village. It wasn’t uncommon for a fire to take out one or two people in a week. Fires became a part of life and a part of death. It was especially hard when a child was taken. But that’s just the way it was in Perfidy. Everyone at some point would eventually find themselves as a victim of a fire. The fire extinguishers found in most homes didn’t work. Most were empty from the very start. At best, they only served as a sense of false security. Some were filled with water but had no pressure. It doesn’t make any sense, but this was tolerated, and no one really expected anything different.
So what about Walt’s extinguishers? They were amazing. They would put out any fire as soon as the pin was pulled. But just like all the others, they only could protect the one who purchased them. So why didn’t more people buy these special extinguishers? Were they expensive? No, only a signature was needed.
Although Walter was a nice friend, he was really no friend at all. He had the answer to the villager’s fate. Yet, he was unwilling to push his extinguishers, because so many already believed in their own. Walter knew they were trusting in empty dreams and failed to share the truth. What a sad story.
Walter was a man well known by both young and old alike. His tall frame, slicked back gray hair and tattered briefcase were a pleasant sight to those in the village. He never held back an interesting story or a cute joke. A cup of coffee or a tall glass of iced tea would often accompany such a visit. Walter was a salesman for a fire extinguisher company. His territory was the entire village and everyone was a potential client. Walter had a way of making anyone feel at ease. He would often listen for hours, as men would open up about problems at home or struggles at work. Walters gentle ear and kind words could topple down even the biggest of difficulties. Although it was no secret that Walter’s job was to sell extinguishers, he rarely would bother with the sales pitch. He knew that if you wanted to buy, all you had to do was ask. The fact was that nearly everyone already owned some kind of extinguisher. Pushing sales on his friends didn’t seem natural and he wasn’t willing to risk the friendship over just another sale. With that Walter had many friends and great respect.
Unfortunately, the people of Perfidy were hardened to the fires that plagued their village. It wasn’t uncommon for a fire to take out one or two people in a week. Fires became a part of life and a part of death. It was especially hard when a child was taken. But that’s just the way it was in Perfidy. Everyone at some point would eventually find themselves as a victim of a fire. The fire extinguishers found in most homes didn’t work. Most were empty from the very start. At best, they only served as a sense of false security. Some were filled with water but had no pressure. It doesn’t make any sense, but this was tolerated, and no one really expected anything different.
So what about Walt’s extinguishers? They were amazing. They would put out any fire as soon as the pin was pulled. But just like all the others, they only could protect the one who purchased them. So why didn’t more people buy these special extinguishers? Were they expensive? No, only a signature was needed.
Although Walter was a nice friend, he was really no friend at all. He had the answer to the villager’s fate. Yet, he was unwilling to push his extinguishers, because so many already believed in their own. Walter knew they were trusting in empty dreams and failed to share the truth. What a sad story.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Silver or gold
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. Acts 3:6-7
Peter may not have had much wealth, but his response to the crippled beggar had nothing to do with the amount of Peter’s money, but rather a more valuable gift that Peter was able to give. Lord have mercy on me. I truly love God and trust Him with my soul, but I have never put everything on the line as Peter just did. Sure I will say a prayer. I’ll ask God to help, but rise up and walk? What if the man couldn’t get up and walk, what then? Peter was full of the Holy Spirit. He had walked with Jesus. He had seen His miracles. As a church, do we feel better about our silver and gold? Is it a safer bet to say, I will do what I can, instead of trusting in God to come through. No wonder the church appears to be for the weak. Why do we keep living our lives with our faith in our gold? What will it take for us to realize the incredible resource we have in our Father? This is not a God problem, it is a church problem.
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12
Lord, cure my unbelief. Take away the crutches that keep me from leaning on You, and help me to represent You, to this hurting and dieing world. Amen
Peter may not have had much wealth, but his response to the crippled beggar had nothing to do with the amount of Peter’s money, but rather a more valuable gift that Peter was able to give. Lord have mercy on me. I truly love God and trust Him with my soul, but I have never put everything on the line as Peter just did. Sure I will say a prayer. I’ll ask God to help, but rise up and walk? What if the man couldn’t get up and walk, what then? Peter was full of the Holy Spirit. He had walked with Jesus. He had seen His miracles. As a church, do we feel better about our silver and gold? Is it a safer bet to say, I will do what I can, instead of trusting in God to come through. No wonder the church appears to be for the weak. Why do we keep living our lives with our faith in our gold? What will it take for us to realize the incredible resource we have in our Father? This is not a God problem, it is a church problem.
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12
Lord, cure my unbelief. Take away the crutches that keep me from leaning on You, and help me to represent You, to this hurting and dieing world. Amen
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Big fish in a small pond
Softball season is almost upon us. This is a story from my childhood, please don't make fun of me, I'm still recovering.
I was in the sixth grade and had played little league for several years. Tryouts hadn’t gone well for me. Although team placement wasn’t based on age or grade, most sixth graders moved from the minor leagues to the major leagues. I did not. After being totally embarrassed, I soon realized that I was one of the biggest kids on the team. I played first base, and our team took first place that year. I loved baseball and was real good at it. After all I was a significant part of a winning team. The following year I was ready to show my stuff. Because of new structuring, kids were placed in leagues according to their age and teams according to their ability. Which meant I skipped majors and went directly from the minors to senior league in one year. My new coach took no time in teaching me the finer points of the game. Squat low so that your strike zone is small and never swing. My field play consisted of two innings in right field (every player was required to play at least two innings according to league rules). My love for baseball was sucked out of me for two seasons before I quit. The sad part is, a pop fly isn't any different in the minor or senior league. Yet I couldn’t catch a ball that year to save my life. Knowing that someone does, or doesn't believe in you, can literally change a person’s perspective forever.
I was in the sixth grade and had played little league for several years. Tryouts hadn’t gone well for me. Although team placement wasn’t based on age or grade, most sixth graders moved from the minor leagues to the major leagues. I did not. After being totally embarrassed, I soon realized that I was one of the biggest kids on the team. I played first base, and our team took first place that year. I loved baseball and was real good at it. After all I was a significant part of a winning team. The following year I was ready to show my stuff. Because of new structuring, kids were placed in leagues according to their age and teams according to their ability. Which meant I skipped majors and went directly from the minors to senior league in one year. My new coach took no time in teaching me the finer points of the game. Squat low so that your strike zone is small and never swing. My field play consisted of two innings in right field (every player was required to play at least two innings according to league rules). My love for baseball was sucked out of me for two seasons before I quit. The sad part is, a pop fly isn't any different in the minor or senior league. Yet I couldn’t catch a ball that year to save my life. Knowing that someone does, or doesn't believe in you, can literally change a person’s perspective forever.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Thought for today
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn" 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:32-39
Jesus loves us, but let's not forget we are in a battle over men's souls, and Jesus is playing to win.
I pray that I can see others through Christs eyes. Lord, help me to live a life that draws others to You. Amen.
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn" 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:32-39
Jesus loves us, but let's not forget we are in a battle over men's souls, and Jesus is playing to win.
I pray that I can see others through Christs eyes. Lord, help me to live a life that draws others to You. Amen.
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