I dropped the ball last week. Let me explain.
I’ve had a couple of incredibly busy weeks, the details of which are irrelevant. One day last week I was moving like a mad man, so for lunch I just grabbed a sandwich while I was out. As I headed back to the office to inhale my sandwich I saw what appeared to be a homeless man at an intersection. Something inside me said, "Give him your sandwich."
I ignored it.
I have prayed for that man more times than I can count since that day......and I've prayed for myself, too!
We’ve all heard that we need to stop and smell the roses. Forget the roses, we need to slow down and love mankind. I’m reminded of Charles Dickens’ character, Jacob Marley, in "A Christmas Carol." He said, "Mankind is my business!" And isn’t mankind our business?
There’s a story in Luke’s Gospel about this:
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: "Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?" Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?"
The man answered, "‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" "Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!" Luke 10:25_28
If you had to boil all of the commandments of God down to no more than a sentence, Jesus confirmed it would read something like this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and also love your neighbor as yourself.
There is a connection between our love for God and our love for others. There is a connection between the compassion we receive from God and the compassion we extend to our neighbors.
But the lawyer in this exchange with Jesus pressed in like a prosecutor, drilling for a specific definition of neighbor. Luke writes, "The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus,
‘And who is my neighbor?’" (10:29)
Being a gentle teacher, Jesus didn’t answer directly (or even crack any lawyer jokes). He told a story many of us are familiar with, about a man beaten and left for dead on the road to Jericho. First, a priest walked by, and seeing the man, crossed to the other side of the road. Then, an assistant at the Temple who was in charge of purity and tithing walked by, and seeing the injured man, he crossed to the other side of the road.
Finally, a man from a despised race, a Samaritan, walked by and stopped. He treated the man’s injuries and then took him to a nearby inn, paying for his care and lodging until he could get back on his feet.
"Who," Jesus asked, "was the injured man’s neighbor?"
The lawyer responded, "The one who showed him mercy." "That’s right," Jesus said, "Now go and do the same." (Luke 10:37)
Here’s the deal. I know this story. I’ve read it many times. I’ve taught it.
But I didn’t live it last week. (No one ever said transparency was fun!)
When the lawyer faced Jesus, he tried to justify his current behavior, instead of allowing Jesus to teach him the compassionate behavior. In other words, the lawyer was trying to bend the scriptures to match his behavior when he should have been changing his behavior to match the scriptures.
This story clearly shows us that relationship triumphs over religion. It was the religious people who walked by, and it was the despised Samaritan who helped the injured man. Friends, Jesus is less interested in religion – rituals and rules – than He is in compassionate relationships; it is compassion in relationships that reveals the heart of God, not the following of religious rules.
Can I encourage you this week to slow down and see people this week? I’m not talking about seeing them with your eyes, but seeing them with your heart. Remember the end of the story? The lawyer learned that it was the Samaritan who had done the right thing - shown the man mercy.
So I encourage you with the words of Jesus to the lawyer: "Now go and do the same." (Luke 10:37)
I’m praying for you, friends......thanks for doing the same for me.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Always Do The Right Thing
A man entered my father's diesel-repair shop, said he was a driver from a trucking fleet and suggested, "How about adding a few extra parts to the bill for this truck repair? We'll let the company pay for it, and you and I can split the difference."
Dad refused, but the customer was insistent.
"I come through here a lot," the man continued. "We could make quite a bit of money."
Dad said that wasn't how he operated.
"Everyone does it!" the man yelled. "Are you some kind of fool?"
Burning mad, Dad asked him to leave and take his business elsewhere.
Suddenly the man smiled and extended his hand for a handshake. "I own a trucking company," he said. "I've been looking for a mechanic I can trust, and I'm not taking my business anywhere else!"
Several years ago, a preacher from out of state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.
As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.'
Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as 'a gift from God' and keep quiet.'
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."
The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."
When the minister stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold Jesus for a quarter.’
Sometimes doing the right thing is hard......even for a preacher! Norman Cousins wrote "Anatomy of an Illness" and in the book he tells the story of a sleepless night he spent at the Los Angeles Airport. He needed to make a phone call to his office, so he put a quarter in a pay phone and didn’t get a dial tone. All he got was a recording that said, "Please deposit a quarter to make a call."
Frustrated, he deposited another quarter and dialed the operator. He explained to the operator what had happened and asked her to give him his money back or at least give him a dial tone to call his office. )This was back in the day when the operator had the ability to send a command to the phone to return a quarter.) Instead, the operator replied, "Certainly sir. We will return your money if you send us your name and address."
Cousins thought to himself, "How ridiculous! I’m supposed to take my time and money to send you my name and address to get my 25 cents back? And why add the expense to them to process, pay, and mail my money back to me?"
Cousins continues, "I got frustrated and hit the ’return money’ lever and quarters started pouring out of the telephone and filled the floor of the phone booth!" He said, "I told the operator what was happening and she said, "Please put the money back in the box."
Cousins replied, "I would be happy to send the money back to you in the mail. Just send me an envelope with your name and address!"
Like I said, sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing! Do it anyway. Why? First, because it’s right. Second, because it matters. Third, because it builds character, and finally, because in the end, we’re all going to have to stand before God.
Once when umpire Babe Pinelli called Babe Ruth out on strikes, Ruth argued with him and said, "There's 40,000 people here who know that last one was a ball, tomato head." Pinelli replied with the measured stateliness of John Marshall: "Maybe so, but mine is the only opinion that counts."
Those of you who know me well know that I refuse to use "guilt" to try and get someone to consider God. God doesn’t use it, so why should I? But the truth of the matter is this: One day, whether we like it or not, we’re going to have to answer to God as to why we did.....or didn’t......do the right thing. And at that moment, His opinion is the only one that counts.
A few weeks ago I wrote about heroes. Another hero of mine is a fellow named Paul. Actually, he wrote about ½ of the New Testament, but his name wasn’t always Paul. He was born and named Saul. He studied religion and religious thought, but never had a relationship with God. Then this Jesus fellow came along and changed everything......which Saul didn’t like. So he set out to kill all of the Christians.......until he had his own encounter with God. Not only did that encounter change his name, it changed his life.
At one point Paul found himself sitting in a cold, damp dungeon. Like an athlete who had spent his strength to win the prize, Paul had persevered. During his 30 years of ministry, a thousand voices had urged him to cheat in the race, throw in the towel, compromise the faith. But Paul had decided that he would not listen to the voices of the crowd. He had only one Judge to please. He was ready to meet the Umpire of the universe.
Psalm 97:11 says: Light shines on those who do right; joy belongs to those who are honest.
So let me encourage you today, friends......always do the right thing. Sometimes it will be more difficult than others. Do the right thing anyway. It will set an excellent example and build character now. And if you have trusted in God and received His free gift of forgiveness, it will also serve you well when you stand before Him for His opinion.
Dad refused, but the customer was insistent.
"I come through here a lot," the man continued. "We could make quite a bit of money."
Dad said that wasn't how he operated.
"Everyone does it!" the man yelled. "Are you some kind of fool?"
Burning mad, Dad asked him to leave and take his business elsewhere.
Suddenly the man smiled and extended his hand for a handshake. "I own a trucking company," he said. "I've been looking for a mechanic I can trust, and I'm not taking my business anywhere else!"
Several years ago, a preacher from out of state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.
As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.'
Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as 'a gift from God' and keep quiet.'
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."
The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."
When the minister stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold Jesus for a quarter.’
Sometimes doing the right thing is hard......even for a preacher! Norman Cousins wrote "Anatomy of an Illness" and in the book he tells the story of a sleepless night he spent at the Los Angeles Airport. He needed to make a phone call to his office, so he put a quarter in a pay phone and didn’t get a dial tone. All he got was a recording that said, "Please deposit a quarter to make a call."
Frustrated, he deposited another quarter and dialed the operator. He explained to the operator what had happened and asked her to give him his money back or at least give him a dial tone to call his office. )This was back in the day when the operator had the ability to send a command to the phone to return a quarter.) Instead, the operator replied, "Certainly sir. We will return your money if you send us your name and address."
Cousins thought to himself, "How ridiculous! I’m supposed to take my time and money to send you my name and address to get my 25 cents back? And why add the expense to them to process, pay, and mail my money back to me?"
Cousins continues, "I got frustrated and hit the ’return money’ lever and quarters started pouring out of the telephone and filled the floor of the phone booth!" He said, "I told the operator what was happening and she said, "Please put the money back in the box."
Cousins replied, "I would be happy to send the money back to you in the mail. Just send me an envelope with your name and address!"
Like I said, sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing! Do it anyway. Why? First, because it’s right. Second, because it matters. Third, because it builds character, and finally, because in the end, we’re all going to have to stand before God.
Once when umpire Babe Pinelli called Babe Ruth out on strikes, Ruth argued with him and said, "There's 40,000 people here who know that last one was a ball, tomato head." Pinelli replied with the measured stateliness of John Marshall: "Maybe so, but mine is the only opinion that counts."
Those of you who know me well know that I refuse to use "guilt" to try and get someone to consider God. God doesn’t use it, so why should I? But the truth of the matter is this: One day, whether we like it or not, we’re going to have to answer to God as to why we did.....or didn’t......do the right thing. And at that moment, His opinion is the only one that counts.
A few weeks ago I wrote about heroes. Another hero of mine is a fellow named Paul. Actually, he wrote about ½ of the New Testament, but his name wasn’t always Paul. He was born and named Saul. He studied religion and religious thought, but never had a relationship with God. Then this Jesus fellow came along and changed everything......which Saul didn’t like. So he set out to kill all of the Christians.......until he had his own encounter with God. Not only did that encounter change his name, it changed his life.
At one point Paul found himself sitting in a cold, damp dungeon. Like an athlete who had spent his strength to win the prize, Paul had persevered. During his 30 years of ministry, a thousand voices had urged him to cheat in the race, throw in the towel, compromise the faith. But Paul had decided that he would not listen to the voices of the crowd. He had only one Judge to please. He was ready to meet the Umpire of the universe.
Psalm 97:11 says: Light shines on those who do right; joy belongs to those who are honest.
So let me encourage you today, friends......always do the right thing. Sometimes it will be more difficult than others. Do the right thing anyway. It will set an excellent example and build character now. And if you have trusted in God and received His free gift of forgiveness, it will also serve you well when you stand before Him for His opinion.
Pursue The Dream
I spent most of last week in Atlanta, Georgia. The place is ginormous!!! And it’s tough to find Pepsi products! I got to see some amazing things! I saw the world champion of "pop and lock". "Popping", as it’s called, is a style of dance that is best described by watching a youtube video. It’s movements that are almost "jerky" but in a funky, freestyle, kind of way. Anyway, this guy was amazing! He was not only world champion of pop and lock, but he was double-jointed as well. I kind of wondered if he even had joints a few times!
I also saw the Southern Belles, the national champions of clogging. (You may have seen them on America’s Got Talent.) These ladies’ feet moved in a blur! They were so together that they moved almost as one.
I heard Jim Collins and Seth Godin, two of the worlds foremost authorities on leadership and interpreting trends in business. I heard Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel, two of the finest communicators in the church.
Within the past few days I got to rub shoulders with Brad, an exceptional high school band director, Kenny, an excellent truck mechanic, Bob, a top rated insurance and investment advisor, Jeff, an IT specialist, Larry & Bill & Melissa, security specialists and Amira, a pre-med student in college.
Why would I tell you all of this? What’s the big deal about the people & performances I saw? Simply this: these people have discovered something that sets them apart. They have discovered purpose.
Here’s the deal: God wired you to be good at some things. Our problem is that too often we try to be good at many things. Many people are half committed to a dozen different things. If you really want to make an impact with your life, if you want your life to count, you've got to learn to be totally committed to a few things rather than half committed to a dozen things.
One of the things that Jim Collins said this week really resonated with me. He said, "If you have a ‘To Do’ list, do you also have a, ‘Stop Doing’ list? If you don’t, you’ll never achieve your ‘To Do’ list." In other words, in order to find your purpose you have to walk away from some of the things that are draining energy, but producing nothing in the way of results.
Let me encourage you today, find a purpose. Figure out the way God wired you and then go for it. For some of you (and I don’t want to make your boss angry) it may mean leaving the job you’re in and going back to school to pursue a passion. For others, it may simply mean starting a "Stop Doing" list so you can achieve even greater things in your areas of strength.
Too many people waste time trying to get better at something they’re not good at. Instead, focus your time, effort and energy on getting better at what you are good at. Doesn’t that make more sense, anyway?
The Bible says it this way in Ecclesiastes 9:10: Whatever work you do, do your best, because you are going to the grave, where there is no working, no planning, no knowledge, and no wisdom. In other words, find that passion and pursue it because there’s coming a day when you won’t be able to.
Don’t put it off. Pursue your dream with God’s help. The next thing you know, I’ll be writing about you!!!
I also saw the Southern Belles, the national champions of clogging. (You may have seen them on America’s Got Talent.) These ladies’ feet moved in a blur! They were so together that they moved almost as one.
I heard Jim Collins and Seth Godin, two of the worlds foremost authorities on leadership and interpreting trends in business. I heard Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel, two of the finest communicators in the church.
Within the past few days I got to rub shoulders with Brad, an exceptional high school band director, Kenny, an excellent truck mechanic, Bob, a top rated insurance and investment advisor, Jeff, an IT specialist, Larry & Bill & Melissa, security specialists and Amira, a pre-med student in college.
Why would I tell you all of this? What’s the big deal about the people & performances I saw? Simply this: these people have discovered something that sets them apart. They have discovered purpose.
Here’s the deal: God wired you to be good at some things. Our problem is that too often we try to be good at many things. Many people are half committed to a dozen different things. If you really want to make an impact with your life, if you want your life to count, you've got to learn to be totally committed to a few things rather than half committed to a dozen things.
One of the things that Jim Collins said this week really resonated with me. He said, "If you have a ‘To Do’ list, do you also have a, ‘Stop Doing’ list? If you don’t, you’ll never achieve your ‘To Do’ list." In other words, in order to find your purpose you have to walk away from some of the things that are draining energy, but producing nothing in the way of results.
Let me encourage you today, find a purpose. Figure out the way God wired you and then go for it. For some of you (and I don’t want to make your boss angry) it may mean leaving the job you’re in and going back to school to pursue a passion. For others, it may simply mean starting a "Stop Doing" list so you can achieve even greater things in your areas of strength.
Too many people waste time trying to get better at something they’re not good at. Instead, focus your time, effort and energy on getting better at what you are good at. Doesn’t that make more sense, anyway?
The Bible says it this way in Ecclesiastes 9:10: Whatever work you do, do your best, because you are going to the grave, where there is no working, no planning, no knowledge, and no wisdom. In other words, find that passion and pursue it because there’s coming a day when you won’t be able to.
Don’t put it off. Pursue your dream with God’s help. The next thing you know, I’ll be writing about you!!!
Hang Up Your Troubles
So let me begin with a question.......have you ever had a bad day at work?
Okay, stupid question......sorry! Of course you have. We all have! But what do you do with that bad day? Do you take it home to your family and nail them to the wall with it? Do you ignore your spouse and kids because you’re self absorbed in the difficult day? Or are you able to handle it like the carpenter in this story?
The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farm house had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire had caused him to miss an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pick_up truck refused to start.
As I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. When we arrived he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked to the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles; he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed by the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, they don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So, I just hang them on the tree when I come home in the evening and then I just pick them up again in the morning."
"Funny thing, though," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remembered hanging there the night before."
What a great point! I read that story years ago, but haven’t quite mastered it yet. The fact remains, the troubles of your day should never be taken out on those you love the most. Here’s what the Bible says: Whoever brings trouble to his family will be left with nothing but the wind. (Proverbs 11:29)
Don’t find yourself there! Let me encourage you to leave your troubles outside when you come home, and when you get ready to head back the next day, like the carpenter, you’ll find there aren’t nearly as many as you remember putting there the night before.
Okay, stupid question......sorry! Of course you have. We all have! But what do you do with that bad day? Do you take it home to your family and nail them to the wall with it? Do you ignore your spouse and kids because you’re self absorbed in the difficult day? Or are you able to handle it like the carpenter in this story?
The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farm house had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire had caused him to miss an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pick_up truck refused to start.
As I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. When we arrived he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked to the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles; he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.
Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed by the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.
"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, they don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So, I just hang them on the tree when I come home in the evening and then I just pick them up again in the morning."
"Funny thing, though," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remembered hanging there the night before."
What a great point! I read that story years ago, but haven’t quite mastered it yet. The fact remains, the troubles of your day should never be taken out on those you love the most. Here’s what the Bible says: Whoever brings trouble to his family will be left with nothing but the wind. (Proverbs 11:29)
Don’t find yourself there! Let me encourage you to leave your troubles outside when you come home, and when you get ready to head back the next day, like the carpenter, you’ll find there aren’t nearly as many as you remember putting there the night before.
Do You Know Where You're Going?
Everyone has people they look up to. Perhaps it was a parent or a teacher....maybe a coach or some leader who made a difference in your life.
I have several heroes. One is my dad. Another is my wife.....and even though they’re younger than I, my kids are my heroes as well. There are others, too, but let me tell you a story about another of my heroes:
Billy Graham is now 86 years old with Parkinson's disease.
In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte ,North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But theCharlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.
After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.
The conductor said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.’
Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.
The conductor rushed back and said, ‘Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.’
Einstein looked at him and said, ‘Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.’"
Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.
You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing.
I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am .. I also know where I'm going."
Jesus hung on a cross between two thieves who were crucified for their crimes. One ridiculed and rejected Christ. The other asked for mercy. Jesus said to him, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
This may sound more like a sermon than words of encouragement, but if I may, allow me to simply remind you to make sure you know where you’re going.
I have several heroes. One is my dad. Another is my wife.....and even though they’re younger than I, my kids are my heroes as well. There are others, too, but let me tell you a story about another of my heroes:
Billy Graham is now 86 years old with Parkinson's disease.
In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte ,North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But theCharlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.
After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.
The conductor said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.’
Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.
The conductor rushed back and said, ‘Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.’
Einstein looked at him and said, ‘Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.’"
Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.
You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing.
I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am .. I also know where I'm going."
Jesus hung on a cross between two thieves who were crucified for their crimes. One ridiculed and rejected Christ. The other asked for mercy. Jesus said to him, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
This may sound more like a sermon than words of encouragement, but if I may, allow me to simply remind you to make sure you know where you’re going.
Looking Up
Last week was a bit tumultuous, to say the least! I was driving on Wednesday and had the radio on and heard the following: ! 1) The stock market fell another 450 points after having dropped over 500 points on Tuesday. 2) Oil prices rose $5 per barrel. 3) The government is shelling out $85 billion to rescue the AIG insurance group and they’re talking about establishing a government agency to buy bankrupt companies and banks, and 4) Gold shot up $70 per ounce.
Wow! All in one day! Can you believe that?!
The economy is a roller coaster, we’re moving toward the final stretch of a presidential election, there’s unrest around the world and things are looking a bit bleak in several areas.
So let’s all synchronize our watches and Tuesday at 8 pm let’s worry together. Sound good? No, not really. But honestly, have you spent some time worrying lately? Maybe you’re not worrying about these things, but about other things.
Is my job secure?
My marriage is feeling a bit shaky, will it last?
The gas tank is almost empty, and so is my bank account.....
So many things consume our thoughts, our time and our energy. But worry isn’t the answer. Worry sucks the life and the joy out of so many people......and people can worry, literally, about anything and everything. But it does nothing productive. In fact, here’s what God said about worry in Proverbs 12:25: Worry is a heavy load. In Ecclesiastes 5:3 the Bible says: The saying is true: Bad dreams come from too much worrying.
So if worry isn’t the answer, what is? Glad you asked! Psalms 121 says: I look up to the hills, but where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
I know I’ve written this before, but it’s true (hey, you can only write so many of these E-Mails before you’re bound to repeat yourself): When trouble comes, don’t waste your time looking around, instead, look up. That’s where your help comes from.
If I didn’t know God was in control, I’d be a bit worried right now because of the events taking place all around us. But I do know God is in control and He’s going to take care of things. He may not take care of them like I would take care of them, but that’s why He’s God and I’m not (which is a VERY good thing!).
So I encourage you today, look up! There are always going to be situations that cause us to pause and wonder what’s going on, but keep in mind that God is always going to be there for all who trust in Him. So hang in there, friend......and look up. You’ll find what you’re looking for.
Carefully Consider Your Steps
Brett Favre. Just the mention of his name polarizes people. "He should never have retired." "He should never have come out of retirement." "The Packers were idiots to trade him." "The Jets were idiots to want him." The list of issues could go an on and on.....and I’m sure as the season progresses there will be pundits on both sides of the issue making their points - some of them quite loudly!
I’m not a huge Favre fan, nor a huge Green Bay fan. I’m not a big New York fan either. Hmmmm.......I just don’t follow pro football that much. Regardless, it seems to me that there’s plenty of blame to go around here.
Ultimately, though, I think it comes down to Favre not having a clear direction. He decides to retire. Everyone breathed a sigh of regret, but they plan a party. I don’t know when he began having second thoughts, but he couldn’t change his mind after the party was planned, right? So he retired. There was a party. Packer fans wept. Life went on.
Then he changed his mind. The rest was a public fiasco, and still is to a degree. But it bears out what the Bible says in Proverbs 14:15: The prudent carefully consider their steps.
I have a couple of thoughts here and then I’ll leave Brett to play all the football he wants:
1) While it’s impossible to know every detail of every situation, before you make a huge decision, be sure to consider it from every angle you possibly can.
2) If you make a mistake, suck it up and admit that you made a mistake. Then proceed to correcting that mistake.
3) You’re never going to please everyone. Even Jesus didn’t do that. So talk to God, consider every angle and then make the best decision you can with the information you have.
4) When people criticize you (and they will), know that your decision is the best one possible.
I’m neither "for" nor "against" Brett Favre or Green Bay or New York. His story simply illustrates an important truth: The prudent carefully consider their steps.
Let me wrap this up with a story adapted from Aesop’s Fables:
A miller and his son were traveling to market with their donkey. They had not gone very far when they overheard three women at a well. "Have you ever seen anything so strange? Two men are walking when they could ride. Why do people have donkeys?"
Responding to the women, the miller quickly put his son on the back of the animal and continued on the journey. Soon they met two men in the midst of a fierce debate. "I say the present generation shows no respect for its elders," cried the older man. Spying the miller and his son, he continued, "There, that prove what I am saying. The young, healthy lad rides while his old father is forced to walk."
Immediately the father told his son to dismount, and he climbed on the animal's back. They hadn't gone very far when they met a man and his wife walking down the road. "Look at that mean father," the woman exclaimed. "He rides while his little son has to walk."
Embarrassed, the miller took his son by the arm. "Come up here with me. We will both ride the donkey." Together they rode toward the market. Soon they met a group of men loading hay beside the road. "Shame on you," a fat man cried, "overloading the poor donkey. "Why, the two of you are strong enough to carry that poor animal."
Both the miller and his son quickly got off the animal and walked along until they found a large log. They tied the legs of the donkey together and slipped the log between the animal's legs. Then they attempted to carry it over the bridge that led to the market.
People on the other side of the bridge roared with laughed when they saw two men trying to carry a donkey. The noise frightened the animal that he kicked loose and fell into the river and drowned.
The prudent carefully consider their steps.
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