What Matters Most

Where is Jesus hanging out today?

Jesus is an interesting word/name.  It elicits various degrees of response ranging from extreme excitement to antagonistic anger. 

For the believer, the name of Jesus symbolizes salvation, comfort, trust, and the assumption that if He came back today He would want to be with them.  For those who have not bought into the whole idea of needing a Savior, the name of Jesus often symbolizes the need for a crutch, judgmental attitudes, the feeling of never measuring up, and the assumption that if Jesus came back today He would not want to hang out with them.  Both sides hold to their assumptions and these beliefs perpetuate their image of who Jesus was and is today.

If Jesus were to come back today and hang out who would he spend his time with?  We can get a good idea by going to the journals of one of Jesus' close friends while He was on earth the first time.  Matthew, a Jewish tax collector, was despised and hated by most of his fellows Jews. By the church goers of his day he was considered an outcast.  Matthew records an amazing incident where Jesus was invited to his house.  His journal records this:

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.  But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”  When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”  Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’  For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” (Matthew 9:9-13)

From this we can deduce that Jesus enjoyed hanging out with those who society considered outcasts.  In fact, He says that is why He came the first time - to hang out with those who needed him the most.  The Bible often records just the opposite of what we see today.  Jesus spent a great deal of time hanging out with "sinners" and often got into trouble with the "religious church goers".

I have this challenge to all my readers. If you are a non-believer please know this.  If Jesus came back today to hang out, He would want to hang out with you!  He loves you and doesn't judge and actually would prefer your company.  If you are a follower of Jesus understand something.  Jesus loves you deeply but would probably not hang out with you but encourage you to hang out with Him and those who feel disenchanted and disillusioned by the church.

To put it plainly, If Jesus were here today, he would be hanging out with those who think he wouldn't and not hanging out with those who think he would!

HMM.... Your thoughts?

Chuck

The gas gauge

I have been reading Wayne Cordeiro's book, Leading on Empty.  While his book comes from a Christian perspective, its principles are for anyone regardless of their faith. In his book, Wayne discusses how we spend our time. He states that 85% of what we can anyone can do with no education.  10% of what we do anyone can do with the proper education.  Only 5% of what we do is really what only we can do. 

Some thoughts I have on this.

Why do we often overlook the 5% and spend all our time on the 95% - stuff that others can do?  Here are three reasons I think this is so.

1. Tyranny of the urgent.  We spend our time on what is perceived as the most pressing. 
2. It is how we are judged.  The 95% is how those around us judge our success.  It is more noticeable and brings about the results we have been accustomed to be measured on.  
3. It is easier.  The 95% is stuff that anyone else can do. It takes the most time but is easiest for us to accomplish.  The 5% really takes hard work.  It is harder to measure and is not often something we come by naturally.

What is your 5%?  I am still working out that for myself.  I know it includes my wife, my kids, my health, my faith - to name a few.  The question I am asking and challenge you to ask is this:

What is it that only you, and no one else, can do?

Then, how can we realign our priorities and educate those around us to understand and embrace this?

One final thought... When people are near the end of their life they will never have regrets on the 95%. They will regret not spending more time on the 5%.

To order the book on Amazon, click here.  Stay tuned for my list of my 5%.

Chuck

The Valley of Disappointment

The Bible states that the three greatest virtues one can pursue are faith, hope and love.  I do not think any of us would doubt the immense value of these three great virtues.  We are all looking for something to have faith in, something to give us hope and someone to love.

Unfortunately for so many forging ahead with faith, holding tight to hope and leaning hard on love feels like a waste of time. It just does not exist and they get bitter at those who offer these meaningless cliches out to them.

Weekly I am confronted with those who feel isolated and alone and no where to turn.  My heart breaks for them.  These are real people with read needs.  They:

• are dealing with loss of a loved one
• have just received an eviction notice
• have had their utilities turned off and will have to flush their toilets with buckets of water
• have just been beaten by a spouse or parent
• are depressed and having anxiety attacks
• cannot find a job
• are calling a trailer home
• are addicted to the emptiness of their only friend - a bottle or a hug

They do not need another religious pat or trite answer.  They need substance. They find themselves in the valley of disappointment and depression and have given up on the idea of faith, hope, and love.

What good are we if all we do is look at ourselves and take care of our needs?  When will those who have faith show their deeds? When will those who have hope share it with those who need it? When will those who have love show love to someone who is alone?

If you want to help those in need then respond to this or let me know.  There are so many who are waiting for faith, hope and love.

What will I do today?  What will you do today?

The Golden Rule is selfish?

This past weekend I heard someone say that The Golden Rule was extremely selfish.  He went on to say "Who wants to follow a rule that is all about us?  We need to treat others the way they want to be treated not the way we want to be treated".  This comment has haunted me all weekend.  Jesus and many religious leaders used the Golden Rule as the standard for living.  Do we want to treat others as we would want to be treated or treat others as they want to be treated?  Is there a difference or is it just semantics? 

Those that support The Platinum Rule state that it accommodates the feelings of others better.  Instead of giving you what I want, I will seek to understand you and give you what you want.  It seems to me that if I treat someone with the dignity and specialness that I would want then I am putting them and their needs ahead of my own.  I would assume that is the same as treating them the way they want to be treated - with dignity and specialness.

I am trying to figure out why that statement bothered me.  The Golden Rule states that I am to put others first in how I treat them.  The question I must ask is "What can I do for others before I do for myself?"  The Platinum Rule states that I treat others as they want to be treated.  The question I must ask is "What do they want out of me or what would make them feel better?"  It seems to me that The Platinum Rule could lead to giving others just what they want but what might not be good for them. Whereas The Golden Rule requires me to put my agenda aside and treat others first.

What do others think or does anyone care?

Chuck

Jesus the Condemner?

I find it intriguing that God gave us John 3:17 right after John 3:16.  I mean, John 3:16 says it all doesn't it?  The most popular verse in the Bible reads "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not die but live forever."  What else is needed?  

But for some reason God also gave us verse 17 which completes his thought.  Not that I claim to know what God thinks but it is as if he was thinking "They are going to get it backwards so I better remind them that I came to save (rescue from danger) and not to condemn (to judge unfit for something)."  Perhaps God knew that some 2000 years later we would be so much better at condemning and not saving.

How about you?  Do you find it easier to look at people and make a judgment call rather than see and love people as Jesus does?  Why are some people rejected by the church but loved by the world.  Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Who can you begin to love today instead of condemning?  Do this and you will understand what matters most!

I Shouldn't Be Alive

Last night I sat on my couch captivated by the show on the Discovery Channel called "I Shouldn't be Alive".  Four men were flying over the ocean when their plane crashed at sea.  They spent 18 hours at sea surviving sickness, sheer fatigue, stormy waves, squid, and jelly fish before they were rescued.  What amazed me most about this show was how it showed the men praying to God for help but when they were rescued, God wasn't given the credit.  The one man who swam to shore for 12 hours to get help was the hero.

I wonder how often you and I do that?  When God shows up to help us, we take the credit.  How often have we been guilty of using God as a magic 8 ball and when he delivers we fail to give him the credit.

Why don't you take some time right now and reflect on how God has helped you recently.  Take time to thank him and acknowledge that you cannot do anything without his intervention.  Find someone that you can share with so that you can credit God with the working and not bask in the glory which isn't yours.  In fact, why not respond to this blog and give God credit for what he is doing in your life.

For without the grace and mercy of all-mighty God in our lives, we shouldn't be alive.

Chuck

Joe's 22nd Birthday - spent in Prison

Well, today my son Joe is 22 years old. We have had him for 16 years. We got Joe when he was 5 years old . He was a timid kid who was afraid of everything. I remember when we got him and took him to the park. He was afraid to jump off the park bench. Joe had been sexually, physically, and emotionally abused by his birth parents and gparents (they are not worthy to be called “grand” parents). This trauma was very evident to us early on. However, Joe seemed to thrive in a home where he was loved and cared for. Eventually, four of his other siblings joined our home and were adopted as well by my wife and me.

While he never had many friends, Joe seemed to hold his own in public school. He graduated with fairly decent grades and enrolled in a business school. His desire was always to be in business. From the time he was a kid he would play Monopoly by himself. The joke was always who would win!

Then when Joe enrolled into business school we began to discover that he didn’t have the ability to make wise decisions — mostly in the financial area. He left business school and enrolled in bible college for a year. During this time we had Joe tested by a psychologist and discovered that Joe had some post traumatic stress disorder. We also discovered that due to Joe’s abuse as a child, his brain never fully developed (he had shaking baby syndrome and had Dandy Walker’s syndrome). Therefore we found out that he reasoned at a 4th grade level. He had no real ability to do deductive reasoning.

About this same time, Joe’s world collapsed. He got himself in legal trouble and was found guilty by a jury and was given 20 years probation. He had exposed himself to two minor girls and was found guilty of attempted rape. Less than a year after this probation Joe made another poor choice and found himself guilty of another crime. He has tried to steal a car from a lady. Because of his first offense, he was charged with attempted rape again. This was based on what the detective coerced out him and not based on anything he did or said to the woman. Joe pleaded no contest and today he is in prison with a 20-50 year sentence.

Today, our son, turns 22 years old and is “celebrating” his birthday. It is also his one year anniversary of his going to prison for it happened last year the eve of his birthday. Today, we grieve with him because he is alone struggling with the lack of ability to process all this and struggling emotionally knowing that, except for a few who see Joe as we see Joe, he is alone and seen this day as scary monster who will most likely be locked up the rest of his life.

Today I am reminded of how God felt when Jesus was ridiculed and beaten as he journeyed to the cross. There is nothing I can do but to sit back and watch it all unfold. Joe has been nailed to his cross and nothing will take him down from it. Of course, unlike Jesus, Joe will not be delivered in three days, three years, or even three decades.

And for those of you who think it is blasphemes for me to equate me with God and Joe with Jesus, get over it. I am tired of people, especially Christians, who allow judgement to triumph over mercy. Go read James 2:13.

It is a sad day. God is good and I will enjoy my sadness knowing that it could always be worse. Even this day, Diane and her children might lose their father to this battle with cancer and a failing heart.

Successful Christ-followers?

Our society measures progress by more money, prestige, position and control. Unfortunately, God doesn’t measure success that way. So how are we to measure our spiritual progress? Are we successful Christ-followers?

Peter Scazzero, in his book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, gives us 4 characteristics to consider in measuring our progress spiritually. Below is an adaptation of his information sprinkled with my own thoughts.

1. A Greater Level of Brokenness. Instead of exercising the right to determine good and evil in others, we leave this to God. We become free from judging others. One way to measure this is to consider how often we are offended. When criticized, judged, or insulted our response should be “It is far worse than you think!” Our daily prayer ought to be “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13)
2. A Greater Appreciation for Holy Unknowing (Mystery). We like to know what God is doing, where He is going and what He is up to. It is part of our controlling nature. However, God is beyond every concept we have of Him. He is incomprehensible. The more we know Him, the less we know Him. God is not ours to figure out nor is what we are going through. We can rest easy knowing that God is in charge and worthy of our trust. We must stop trying to figure our what is going on, why it is going on and what to do about it. Instead, enjoy the unknown and let God work it all out.
3. A Deeper Ability to Wait for God. An outgrowth of brokenness and holy unknowing is a great capacity to just wait on God. We must break that driving desire to make something happen and to get it done. We must embrace the notion that less is more. Abraham learned to wait. Moses learned to wait. David learned to wait. Hannah learned to wait. Jesus learned to wait. You and I must learn to wait.
4. A Greater Detachment. The real question we must ask is not “Am I happy?” but “Am I free? We must live as if the things of this world, our material possessions, our achievements, our relationships - these things in themselves are not our lives. We are to be marked by eternity, free from the dominating power of things. In fact, detachment is the great secret of true peace. We don’t need these things, we need God. To really detachment from things means to be able to believe these statements:
⁃ Life is hard
⁃ I am not that important
⁃ My life is not about me
⁃ I am not in control
⁃ I am going to die

I pray that you will ponder these thoughts and embrace them in your life. It is part of pursuing Christ-like living and will help us all be able to ”render the sinful nature powerless“. (Romans 6:6)