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Monday, February 24, 2020

Humility

One desperately needed characteristic today is humility. The age of superstars, celebrity brands, selfies, and social media feeds pride, the opposite of humility.

While writing about humility and pride C. S. Lewis wrote, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

Long ago, Friedrich Nietzsche observed that the “will to power” is the basic drive in human nature. There is no need to teach a child to exert their will in a power play. Grasping for power runs through people of every age and every level of social strata. Pride is both the fertile soil where the “will to power” grows and the fertilizer that boosts its growth.

Three thousand years ago Solomon included these words in his collection of Proverbs. “Pride comes before destruction” and, “humility comes before honor.” (Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 15:33) The Apostle Peter commented on the juxtaposition of pride and humility when he wrote, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5 ESV.

Rick Warren shortened a definition that C. S. Lewis wrote of humility by saying; “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others.”

Jesus, work humility into my life and into the lives of those that I influence. Amen.

Friday, February 14, 2020

"THINK" before you speak or post

The practices of social media posting by famous, infamous and average people is, at times, troublesome and shocking. I try hard to think through what I post on social media. I use a variant of an adage when I’m writing “Think what you will say but don’t say everything that you think.” I changed it for my purposes to “Think what you will write but don’t write everything that you think.”

I also refer to the acronym “THINK” that my daughter shared with me to use when posting on social media. (It’s a great filter for face-to-face conversations and relationships.)

T … Is it TRUE?
H … Is it HELPFUL?
I … Is it INSPIRING?
N … Is it NECESSARY?
K … Is it KIND?

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, THINK about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 ESV

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Compassion From Our Current Location

Moved with compassion … He had compassion on them … His heart overflowed with compassion … (Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13—as a few examples)

Jesus showed compassion on crippled people, blind people, and lepers in need of healing, He showed compassion to the woman at the well who yearned for acceptance or the woman caught in adultery that needed forgiveness.

One option when looking up directions on your smartphone is to “USE CURRENT LOCATION” as the starting point. “Use Current Location” is an excellent description of how Jesus expects us to live our compassion. He wants us to start right at our CURRENT LOCATION. Jesus doesn’t want us to get ‘more spiritual’ and then show compassion. Jesus expects us to show compassion from our CURRENT LOCATION, to show compassion now, right where we live, work, and play. He doesn’t want us only to give our money to someone else or an organization that can show compassion for us. He wants compassion from us in our CURRENT LOCATION.

Who in your CURRENT LOCATION needs to be accepted just as they are, needs a friend, needs you to be praying for them, needs a helping hand, or someone to lean on?

Jesus, give us eyes to see the needs in our CURRENT LOCATION! Amen.

The Fundamentals of a Jesus Honoring Life

When I was 10 to 12 years old, I would show up at our Jr. High gymnasium every Saturday during the winter to take part in the YMCA basketball program. I loved every minute we were on the court! Whether we were running lines, learning the correct way to throw different passes, learning how to dribble the ball without looking, shooting layups, pivoting, screening out…I loved every drill!

The coach, Mr. Rhodes, was big on fundamentals. His philosophy was if you learn the fundamentals, you don’t need to “think” about them in a game situation. The fundamentals become part of who you are, second nature, natural actions and reactions. Mr. Rhodes’ philosophy was like the former, unmatched, UCLA coach John Wooden. These great coaches were not hoping their players would know about the fundamentals. Their goal was that the fundamentals would become a part of who a player was.

I see parallels between basketball fundamentals and living a Jesus honoring life. If a disciple learns the fundamentals of a Jesus honoring life and practices them, the fundamentals become part of who they are, second nature, natural actions and reactions. The goal of a disciples’ experience is not “knowing the fundamentals” of living a Jesus honoring life. The goal is doing and living the fundamentals like forgiveness, love, telling the truth, generosity, praying, and learning everything Jesus taught.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24 ESV

Serious Times Require God's Wisdom

In July 1813, John Adams, the 2nd President of the nation, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the nation, wrote, “My Friend! You and I have passed our Lives, in Serious Times. I know not whether We have ever Seen any moments more Serious than the present .” [sic]

Two phrases in that statement caught my attention. “Serious times” and “any moments more serious than the present” could easily describe the tumultuous times we are in. Conflict and division abound. Natural calamities and significant challenges face our country and the world. There are no simple answers to the challenges mankind faces. Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.”

I’m reminded of words written by King David in Psalm 20, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Psalms 20:7 (NIV) These are times to trust in the Lord and not chariots and horses. God gives creative solutions and the wisdom needed to solve the problems of the world. Serious times require serious wisdom and serious solutions!

Another great leader, Abraham Lincoln, said; “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.”