"Love your neighbor as yourself."
Why didn't he say, "love your neighbor like you love your family, your job, your hobby, or your favorite pastime?" He could have named anything under the sun, yet he chose to say 'as yourself.'
Because He knows just how much, albeit often misrepresented, we really do love ourselves.
Think about it. We know us better than anyone else in this world; even with all the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of us, we choose to love us anyway.
We accentuate our strengths. We highlight our successes through various platforms. We give ourselves "shout-outs" and "hashtags" and place the best we have on all of our social media outlets. It's evident to those around us what we consider to be highlight worthy moments in our life.
We abbreviate our weaknesses. We often neglect mentioning our shortcomings and pitfalls. Those miscalculated efforts resulting in failure are often conveniently left out of stories at the office or dinner table. Our comparison game with others is usually made with those who we deem as inferior to our extraordinary skills.
We accelerate our passions. Passions, be it our relationships, hobbies, or other forms of entertainment, are placed on the forefront of our list of priorities. The personal pleasures we experience are constantly being placed on the mantle of our passions, praises, and prizes.
We accommodate our schedules. Busyness has become the new normal. It's as if to say that busyness equals popularity or productivity. We're constantly searching for the next measure of meaningfulness, denying one person's proposition for 'more important' invitations from new acquaintances. We're constantly making a barrage of appointments to ramp up our level of importance.
Loving ourselves in unhealthy ways can be prideful, arrogant, and selfish. But loving others with the love we once held for ourselves can create healthy, humble communities.
What God wants us to do is place others ahead of ourselves. Lift others up. Give grace to their imperfections. Make time for developing relationships. Build bridges to help them reach their potential.
We will never love others the way God intended until we first recognize the love He has for us. In the midst of His perfection lies our depravity. Yet He sees us as important. He has placed a priority on us above His own convenience. And our willingness to reciprocate His unwavering love becomes a catalyst for the new found love we can now have for others.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Friday, October 16, 2015
Like a Child
He laughs. He cries. He begs. He expects. Very seldom does he worry. The credence of this child, his innate dependence upon his father, is deeply woven into the fabric of his soul.
Where do we lose this sense of dependence and begin to wander into the world of independence and self-reliance? The place where we no longer needs others' advice or assistance. The place where life experiences have convinced, perhaps deceived, us into believing we've arrived on some stalwart plank absent of any defect.
Here's the place I find myself retreating; to a place of arrogance. As if I've become the means to my own end. A far cry from the child reaching out for the outstretched hand of his father. Or the cynicism that casts doubt over acts of kindness because of this ego-centric world where we live. That somehow everyone has become motivated by self-interests rather than risking their own conveniences for the sake of another.
And when God confronts my misplaced and suspicious tendencies to believe such lies, He leads me back to this conclusion; "How much more will your heavenly Father give to those who ask him!" In moments of desperation, knowing my soul needs to be connected and conformed to this trustworthy source, God is reaching into time and space with promises to meet me in my mess.
And, so, God is calling me to be more like 'him' and more like 'Him.' He wants me to come to Him in the way of a child, humble and hopeful. And as I continually listen to the gentle whispers of His voice over my soul I am becoming more aware of His presence and see His character taking shape in my own life.
Where do we lose this sense of dependence and begin to wander into the world of independence and self-reliance? The place where we no longer needs others' advice or assistance. The place where life experiences have convinced, perhaps deceived, us into believing we've arrived on some stalwart plank absent of any defect.
Here's the place I find myself retreating; to a place of arrogance. As if I've become the means to my own end. A far cry from the child reaching out for the outstretched hand of his father. Or the cynicism that casts doubt over acts of kindness because of this ego-centric world where we live. That somehow everyone has become motivated by self-interests rather than risking their own conveniences for the sake of another.
And when God confronts my misplaced and suspicious tendencies to believe such lies, He leads me back to this conclusion; "How much more will your heavenly Father give to those who ask him!" In moments of desperation, knowing my soul needs to be connected and conformed to this trustworthy source, God is reaching into time and space with promises to meet me in my mess.
It's in those moments, those God-sized moments, that I'm humbled. I realize that not only do I need Him but He cherishes me as His child. I'm hopeful. In spite of my past and oftentimes even my present circumstances, I can trust Him. I'm learning to see life through the lens of unrivaled grace pronounced over me by the most amazing and loving Father I could ever know.
And, so, God is calling me to be more like 'him' and more like 'Him.' He wants me to come to Him in the way of a child, humble and hopeful. And as I continually listen to the gentle whispers of His voice over my soul I am becoming more aware of His presence and see His character taking shape in my own life.
Friday, October 09, 2015
Football Season is Here!
Football season is here! For many people in the South, football is god!
I can remember standing on the sidelines and hearing the chant, "Know what to do and DO IT!"
Players and coaches spent countless days in the weight room, watched numerous hours of game film, and trained their bodies and minds for the play calls in practice all to prepare themselves for the physical war under the "Friday Night Lights."
Every routine play and even the trick plays were rehearsed in practice. How could the result not be a 1st down? They can repeat the opponents' play calling in their sleep. How could they not get a defensive stop on 3rd and long?
Life is no different. There's a coach, a playbook, a team, and an opponent. What on earth could de-rail our team from experiencing optimal success? Two things; ignorance and apathy.
So, ignorance is simply not knowing what to do. There are many reasons a player may fail to do the right thing, but he cannot do what he does not know. Maybe he was distracted. Maybe he was absent. Maybe he just didn't understand the play being called. Nevertheless, his inability to fulfill his obligation to the team left him wavering in the ranks of irresponsible behavior.
Apathy is refusing to do something in light of knowing the routine and the results. This player knows the responsibility of the position but is choosing to act independently of those expectations. Pride, inconvenience, or a lack of self control are often indicators leading to apathy. And apathetic tendencies always lead to results that are off course.
How do we overcome two of the most fundamental flaws of any team?
It's simple; obedience. We refuse to be ignorant; we choose to learn and become a student of the game. We refrain from apathy; our responsibility to this team trumps any rights we believe we have as an individual. We submit ourselves to the authority of leadership, to the unity of this team, and to the plausibility of its practices to develop a more cohesive design for success in this game.
This statement, "Know what to do and do it," is more than the MO for a sports team; it's the MO for God's army in the war we face in life. James 4:17 states, "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." The only way we can guarantee victory over the struggles in life is to identify the voice of our commander and obey with unwavering vigor and resolve!
I can remember standing on the sidelines and hearing the chant, "Know what to do and DO IT!"
Players and coaches spent countless days in the weight room, watched numerous hours of game film, and trained their bodies and minds for the play calls in practice all to prepare themselves for the physical war under the "Friday Night Lights."
Every routine play and even the trick plays were rehearsed in practice. How could the result not be a 1st down? They can repeat the opponents' play calling in their sleep. How could they not get a defensive stop on 3rd and long?
Life is no different. There's a coach, a playbook, a team, and an opponent. What on earth could de-rail our team from experiencing optimal success? Two things; ignorance and apathy.
So, ignorance is simply not knowing what to do. There are many reasons a player may fail to do the right thing, but he cannot do what he does not know. Maybe he was distracted. Maybe he was absent. Maybe he just didn't understand the play being called. Nevertheless, his inability to fulfill his obligation to the team left him wavering in the ranks of irresponsible behavior.
Apathy is refusing to do something in light of knowing the routine and the results. This player knows the responsibility of the position but is choosing to act independently of those expectations. Pride, inconvenience, or a lack of self control are often indicators leading to apathy. And apathetic tendencies always lead to results that are off course.
How do we overcome two of the most fundamental flaws of any team?
It's simple; obedience. We refuse to be ignorant; we choose to learn and become a student of the game. We refrain from apathy; our responsibility to this team trumps any rights we believe we have as an individual. We submit ourselves to the authority of leadership, to the unity of this team, and to the plausibility of its practices to develop a more cohesive design for success in this game.
This statement, "Know what to do and do it," is more than the MO for a sports team; it's the MO for God's army in the war we face in life. James 4:17 states, "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." The only way we can guarantee victory over the struggles in life is to identify the voice of our commander and obey with unwavering vigor and resolve!
Thursday, October 08, 2015
All Things Work Together
How can we believe that "all things work together for good" when life seems so unfair?
Doctor's reports and death certificates all indicate terrible circumstances yet God is supposed to be working "all things together for good."
First of all, define good. Is good supposed to be comfortable? Pleasant? Enjoyable? Does our definition of good really correlate to God's definition?
Consider the rest of the phrase, "to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose."
What if we consider a different sequence for this statement? What if we realized that before seeing everything as working together for our good that we were actually called according to God's purpose? When our perspective for why we're here has clarity then our perspective for what's good will make more sense.
God's purpose for our lives is not just some spiritual semblance of heaven but it's a loving relationship with Him and His people on earth. And He's asking us to reciprocate that love with Him through surrendering our lives to His mission.
When our calling is clear and our love is shared then our journey, even the obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments, can be seen as a stepping stone that is shaping our character to be more like Jesus.
God's goal for our life is not for us to see good through the lens of human gratification; rather, His goal for us is to see good through the lens of spiritual transformation. Trials and triumphs co-exist to place an exclamation mark on the sovereign hand of God in our lives. He's making all things work together for good on the canvas of His eternal purposes!
Doctor's reports and death certificates all indicate terrible circumstances yet God is supposed to be working "all things together for good."
First of all, define good. Is good supposed to be comfortable? Pleasant? Enjoyable? Does our definition of good really correlate to God's definition?
Consider the rest of the phrase, "to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose."
What if we consider a different sequence for this statement? What if we realized that before seeing everything as working together for our good that we were actually called according to God's purpose? When our perspective for why we're here has clarity then our perspective for what's good will make more sense.
God's purpose for our lives is not just some spiritual semblance of heaven but it's a loving relationship with Him and His people on earth. And He's asking us to reciprocate that love with Him through surrendering our lives to His mission.
When our calling is clear and our love is shared then our journey, even the obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments, can be seen as a stepping stone that is shaping our character to be more like Jesus.
God's goal for our life is not for us to see good through the lens of human gratification; rather, His goal for us is to see good through the lens of spiritual transformation. Trials and triumphs co-exist to place an exclamation mark on the sovereign hand of God in our lives. He's making all things work together for good on the canvas of His eternal purposes!
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