Spiderman

   Welp, to continue with the superhero theme for the week, I've chosen probably the most well-quoted line from Spiderman. I know there are about 400 Spiderman movies out these days, but the one I will be referring to is the 2002 movie with Toby Maguire. In the movie, Peter Parker has been acting pretty weird and his Uncle Ben confronts him on it. When Uncle Ben discusses with Peter all about the man he is becoming he utters the memorable phrase: "With great power comes great responsibility." In all honesty, the quote was originally penned by the philosopher Voltaire, but my theme isn't about Enlightenment thinkers, so for now, I'll give the credit to Uncle Ben.
   Whether Uncle Ben (or Voltaire for the matter) knew it, he was actually paraphrasing Jesus. In Luke 12, while Jesus discussed the role of master and servant, he claimed, 

"The servant who knows the master's will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been trusted with much, much more will be asked" (vs. 47-48).

You see, the more knowledge or talent you have in a given area, the more is expected of you. In other words, with great power comes great responsibility.
   At first, this may not seem fair. Our democratic society has led us to a point of believing that we should all be required to do the same amount of work or achieve the same amount of greatness. With this I disagree. God created us equally as humans, but certainly didn't give us equal amounts of talents, blessings or knowledge. Look to the parable of the talents. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells another story about a business man who goes on a trip and entrusts pieces of his business or estate to three people. One man receives five talents, one receives two and the last receives one. In the end, the first two have doubled their investment and were praised and rewarded with more. The man with one talent buried it and was reprimanded. Notice that the two who were rewarded did not start with the same amounts, they simply worked well with the amounts they were given.
   What I'm saying is that God knows where your talents lie. He knows where he's blessed you. And he certainly knows when you don't use the talents and abilities he has gifted you with to their maximum potential. Let's pause for a second. Isn't this a beautiful truth about God? Not only does he give us passions and longings toward something that he has made important to us, but he wants us to use those passions to the fullest. I love that! Though God's path for us isn't always easy, a majority of the time he offers us a passion to help us through. And when the passion isn't there, he fuels us by a passion to do his will. 
   The tricky part is now that we know this, we are responsible for that knowledge. Look back to the verse in Luke. The more you know, the more is expected. If a child under the age of two picks up a piece of candy from the store and eats it, so stealing the candy, we are much easier on them than if someone like Donald Trump was convicted of laundering money all because he should know better. The same is true with God. We are called to know him and as we grow in our knowledge of him, we must outgrow our old vices. This may not happen all at once, but the process needs to be constantly working in our lives. 
   So whether your knowledge of God is forcing you to question your current life practices or you have skills that could be used to further God's kingdom and you aren't maxing out your full potential, remember: with great power comes great responsibility. God has given you gifts and knowledge. He has such an amazing purpose for your life and he wants you to see it through. And the beauty of it all is that he won't leave you without help. So let's do something worthwhile. Let's step out of our boxes. Let's dare to be great at something and then have the humility to point it back to our Creator and gift-giver. Let's not settle for average or normal or what the rest of the world is doing. Let's maximize our God-given talents and start to bring his kingdom to this earth. I'd say we all have superhero potential in some area of our lives. Find it and capitalize on it. You were made for more the mediocrity.

Superman

  This past weekend, my husband and I went to see Man of Steel, which has led me to dub this week the week of superheroes. In all honesty, I thought the movie was just okay, but most men seem to disagree. One thing that did strike me was the relationship shown between father and son. Jor-El, played by Russel Crowe, is father to Kal-El, the future superman. As their world is fading, Jor-El sends his son off in a spaceship to earth in order to save him from the destruction of Planet Krypton and to protect their race by implanting the genes of all Kryptonians into him.
  I suppose what struck me most is quite obvious. Here, we see the father as a hero for risking his own life to save his son's, while the world is destroyed. Yet in God, we find something greater. Jor-El had this intuition that the world was headed towards destruction and took precautions. God, knows the state of his world. He created it in perfection and made Adam and Eve to walk with him and share in his fullness. Yet he gave them a choice to stay in perfect communion with him or not. They chose to disobey and live apart from God. Because of this, sin entered into the world and the world took its first step to destruction. God could have left. He could have seen the destruction and turned away; created the world, set it in motion and then decided that he had better things to do. Rather, he did the exact opposite of our movie hero. Instead of sending his son away from the destruction of the world, he sent him to it.
  Jesus entered the world in human form. Perfectly God and completely man. I have heard a story of a man who preached a sermon and repeated for the entirety of his time on stage "God became a man." He did this because we cannot fully comprehend this beautiful truth. The Creator of the stars came as a human to save the world. And he did not come as some grand King or Pharaoh, but was born into the family of a carpenter. God himself who spoke life into existence had to learn to speak as a child. He required sleep and food. He was "in very nature God [yet] did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, rather, he made himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:6-7). He faced all the temptations common to man, yet lived without sinning. And this life did not lead him to glory but servanthood; not to a privileged life, but to die a death of torture meant for the worst enemies of Rome, on a cross. 
  You see, rather than send his son away from the destruction, God sent him to it. Rather than allow the world to be destroyed, God sent his son to save it. A sacrifice was required for humanity to become right with God, and Jesus was the spotless lamb. He died, so that we might live. Yet death could not hold him. Jesus was not confined to the grave, but raised from the dead after three days in the tomb to live eternally with God the father and offer us the same privilege.
  Essentially, our world is headed for destruction just like the planet Krypton and later in the movie, earth. But God sent us something far better than Superman for a savior, he sent us his son. Yes, the world will still waste away, but because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we have the opportunity to be saved. All because "God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but receive salvation from our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9). He longs for us to receive this gift he has bestowed upon us, but how? Most feel that we have to reach a certain level of "goodness" to get to heaven, but our merit has nothing to do with it. We cannot earn his love, he gives it freely and all we must do is receive it. Acts 2:21 says that "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." So call on him. Your prayer doesn't need to be poetic. It doesn't require beautiful words, simply a heart that recognizes the need for God as its true savior. Romans 10 tells us "If you declare with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (vs. 9). It is that simple. I will say this: living for Christ is not easy. Jesus himself tells us to count the cost before we enter into his salvation (check out Luke 14:25-34). To live for him means to die to your own desires. He must become greater and you must become less (John 3:30). I promise you, in light of eternity, it is completely worth it, but that is the decision you must make.
  So if you have never received the peace of God, if you feel a deep hole inside your heart that whispers you were created for something more that this world could ever offer you, here is how you can take the first step to the life God has planned for you in his salvation. First, you must recognize that you have screwed up at some point in your life. None of us is perfect, we struggle with pride and jealousy. We are all self-centered, we all have times of envy, anger, lust, and the list goes on. Acknowledge it before God, he will not turn you away. No matter what you've done, nothing can separate you from his love (Romans 8:35). Do you think you surprised him? He knows you better than you do, but loves you more than anyone on this earth ever has, so humble yourself and admit to your failures. 
  Next, confess to Jesus that you need him to save you. Believe that his sacrifice was for you and accept it. He paid the price you couldn't pay. Acknowledge that and believe that he died and raised from the dead to save you from the destruction of this earth. When you confess your sins and acknowledge him as your savior, the Bible says he forgives us and removes all of our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Once this is done, you are saved and must believe it. The forces of evil will come against you because you are vulnerable in this new state, so find a mentor, find a church, find someone who can speak life and God's word into your life. And open the Bible. Discover the beauty of God's perfect love for you. Breathe easy and smile at the reassurance he will offer. You are loved, you are saved, you are his.
If you are a little frightened about the whole prayer thing, not sure if you'll do it right, pray this:
  "God, I have messed up. I have lived my life for myself and have sinned against you. But I believe you sent your only son into this world to save me. He died and rose again so that I might live, and by his sacrifice, I can be saved. I have done nothing to earn this, but I accept your gift and receive your salvation. I thank you for your sacrifice and for saving my life. Teach me about you, so that I might walk in you light. Shape me and make me more like you with each breath I take. In Jesus' name, Amen."
  He is far better than Superman. And, if you've seen the movie (or are a big superman fan), you know that the "S" on Superman's chest is not really an "S" but an emblem of hope. When you commit your life to Jesus and are saved, you wear a far greater emblem of hope than Superman ever did because yours comes from the heart of a loving creator who sacrificed his only son for you. The world is lost but you have found the hope of the world and it now resides in you, along with his strength and power. Welcome to his everlasting hope and peace. The angels are celebrating and so am I. You are deeply and fiercely loved, so take joy and know that you are saved.

Busy, Busy, Busy

  Well today is a post that I don't know if you need to hear, but I certainly need to write. My hope is that as I write, it will sink a little better into my own brain. This is a post that is based on irony because I am going to talk about being busy and, as I write, I am being bombarded with deadlines to meet for fundraisers and people clamoring for things they need me to do at the last minute. I am the kind of person that hates to do anything at the last minute and every fiber of my being longs to get to work on these deadlines and ignore this blog. But that is an impulse I am going to fight.
  We as humans, and Americans especially, love to be busy. We get to a point where even if we are sitting alone in a room, we will play with a phone because we have lost the ability to be still. The more we do, the more worthwhile we feel. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with putting your feet up at the end of a hard day and feeling good about the work you did. Hard work is a good thing and condoned in the Bible. We simply need a reminder of what is work and what is a distraction. We need our priorities to line up with our beliefs. The more I dig into Christianity, the more I see what some would consider paradoxes. Right now, I am telling you that you should work hard but not be busy. Some may see that as a contradiction, but it is actually a balancing act. And it is an act at which the Thessalonian church failed.
  The Thessalonians were excited because they believed that Jesus was on his way back in a hot minute. So what did they do? They took to waiting on the roof, watching for his return. They quit their jobs and stopped working, figuring there was no use if they were headed to heaven soon. And for this, they were reprimanded. In 2 Thessalonians 3:11, Paul addresses them and says, "We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy, but busybodies." Paul urges them to earn their keep, like he did. See, when Paul visited, he sold tents working hard so that he would not become a burden to anyone. Work is a good thing, so work hard and get things done.
  That being said, God knows how he made us. We are wired to where we need sleep and food. We are like engines, we need fuel and we need rest before we get overheated. That was the reason he gave us the Sabbath. In Mark 2, after Jesus and his disciples are picking some grain on the day that is meant for resting, they are accused by the religious leaders for breaking the law of the Sabbath. But Jesus turns everything around saying that the Sabbath wasn't made for God, but for us. We need rest. And he wanted to give us that with the Sabbath. He made the point ever more in Matthew 11 when he said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest" (vs. 28). But therein lies the kicker. We must go to him. Our rest is in Christ. Not in a game app on our phone, not in a TV show that allows us to zone out the troubles of the day. Those will not give you rest, they will give you numbness to the world. Rest comes from time with God. Look at the example Jesus set. He was bringing God's kingdom to earth. All he did was for the good of mankind, but sometimes, when the grief of John the Baptist's death got to be too much or he simply needed to be reminded of his mission, he left the people to pray. Sometimes, we need to say no to people and yes to God. You will not be as much of a help to someone if you aren't in communion with God, because if you are not deriving your strength from God, it is from yourself which means it will fail. So sometimes, we must say no to people so we can get right with God.
  Yet often times, God is the first thing we rule out when we have a busy day. He understands, right? Yes he understands busyness, but he also know that the best cure for exhaustion is him. So when we cross him off our schedule, we cross off the one antidote to the overwhelming struggle of busyness and exhaustion. He says, "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" (Isaiah 40:30-31). God alone is the source of an insane, super-stamina that allows us to carry on when we know we should be far too winded. It cannot come from us, it only comes when we turn to him.
  So when you feel overwhelmed or too busy, cancel out the facebook time, the phone apps, the radio and anything else that does not depend on you. And use that time to garner strength from the only one that truly offers it. All the other distractions may do just that: distract you from your crazy life and the demands people make on you. Please know, it is okay to say no when too many things fill your plate, but God should never be on the list of what you say no to. Because only God fills you. He renews and restores. He strengthens and lifts up. He is the one who will keep you going because he alone is the source of life. So work hard, don't be idle. But to keep from being overwhelmed, rest. And when you rest, rest in God.

A Man Worth Fighting For

This started out as a letter to women on what they should look for in a man. Then it turned into a note to men about qualities they should try to develop. Finally, it became a hodgepodge of both. So bear with me. It all stems from a desperate need for a reminder of the type of men for which we should be searching. And men, you need to know what we really need. We've lost track this with the Jersey boys and their G.T.L. Men, we've allowed you to think that is what we want. So sadly, you've lined up to clone these men because the media pushes the image and we reinforce it. So let's take a minute and talk about the kind of man we women should desire in you as a husband.
We need warriors. We need a man that will pursue us and fight for us. Men, women have a constant desire to be battled for and reminded of your love. It isn't easy (I know how complicated we are), but we need to be sought after. This doesn't end with dating. In fact, in Ephesians, Paul orders husbands to "love [their] wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..." (5:25). Once you are married, you still need to remind your wife that she is the only one for you. You need to give yourself up for her. You need to fight for her.
We also need providers. I know women hate to hear it today, but we truly need men to step up and provide for us. 1 Timothy 5:8 in the English Standard Version says that "any man who does not provide for his relatives, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." Men, there is something deeply ingrained in you that urges you to provide for those you love. Do not fight it. Women, encourage it. It builds a man's confidence and it helps him to feel worthwhile because you need him. Our society doesn't like to depend on others, but that is what marriage is about: dependence. I'm not saying women can't work, help or do what is needed to together to provide for the family. But I am saying that when you are dating, make sure the man strives to be a provider. Do this not in a high maintenance way that suggests you need to constantly receive diamonds from him, rather, look for a man with a good work ethic and he will become the provider you need.
We need our men to step up and be leaders. Women like to be pursued, but need to be led. Don't you love the intricacies of women? Men, you should be the leaders of the home. Set the example first in your walk with God. You are the head of the house (Ephesians 5:23), so lead us. Women, let's be honest, we have emotions, and some have way more than others. But men have been given this amazing ability to compartmentalize events and feelings. Men, you were given the ability to make decisions without your emotions getting in the way, so start making them. And women, start to submit to their leadership. Submission will empower your man and help him to know he is trusted, in turn making him a better leader as the years go on. Hear me out, marriage isn't meant to be a dictatorship, but a partnership. Yes, we should talk through decisions and make them together, but if, after long discussions and prayer, a stalemate results, the man wins out. Sorry ladies. But know that the man should have your best interests in mind because his job is to love, care for and protect you. If that is the case, his decision shouldn't leave you high and dry.
Finally a man should be strong. Not physically (men, you'd be surprised how little we actually care about that), but spiritually. Men, we need you to "be on your guard, stand firm in the faith; be strong; be courageous" (1 Corinthians 16:13). Don't be afraid to need God. There is no greater sign of strength in a man than one who can admit his total dependency on God. If you depend on him, you will make an amazing husband and an incredible father. Be strong in love. Yeah, we women know you share it in weird ways and have a hard time expressing it, but in whatever you do, do it with love.
Women, I hope you were fortunate enough to see models of this man in your life. Even more so, I hope that example was set by your father. Men, I hope you had it too, so you could see the type of man you should strive to become. My dad did and still does a pretty amazing job of setting this example for my brother and me. Both of us gave him a lot of trouble growing up, and I'm sure he never thought I would write something about learning to submit. But through his loving leadership, discipline and dependence on God, he and my mom were able to tame two extremely strong-willed kids. So thanks, dad and Happy Father's Day. As a side-note to dads, if you've struggled in this, repent and work on your relationship with God. Then work on your relationship with your wife and kids. I promise you, the effort for the change will be worthwhile.
Men, if you didn't have the example, or haven't set a good one so far, look to the examples Jesus set and find someone you know who emulates his qualities so you can see those qualities at work in your surroundings. And women, help these guys out by waiting for them. Show them that they are worth your time because men are up against a lot these days. Culture tells men all that matters is their money, their muscles and how well they embrace the YOLO campaign. Sure, guys, you only live once, but make it worthwhile by submitting to God and allowing him to form you into the man he created you to be: not some passive follower, but a world changer and leader. God has ingrained men and women with these incredible talents and abilities that can only be truly found, understood, and capitalized on when we admit to a total dependency on him. And it is through our relationship with God that we are able to make relationships with people work. Women, no man will be perfect, but if his eyes are truly focused on becoming more like Jesus each day, he's probably worth a second glance.

Of Lizards, Dogs: Correction Part 2

With this post, we will be continuing the piece on correction I started with on Monday. Monday was all about overcoming the fears of correcting people. About being bold. About becoming truth tellers for the sake of those we love. Today, I will speak on the other extreme that often walks hand in hand with correction. The extreme that often labels Christians as judgmental, arrogant and hypocritical. The extreme of a correction based on pride rather than love.

This, right here, is Chloe. Recently, however, she gained a new nickname after a beloved Of Mice and Men character: Lenny. The other day I watched from the table as Chloe found a tiny lizard that had somehow made his or her way into our house. I don't think I have ever seen Chloe's tail swish back and forth so vigorously. She pranced and jumped like Gollum in Mount Doom after finding her own Precious. Then the silly lizard moved. Chloe then proceeded to pick up the lizard with her teeth and throw him across the dining room. The poor thing hit a wall and started sprinting, but Chloe caught up. After about 10 minutes of this unconventional fetch, the lizard died and Chloe lost her friend. For something she was so excited about, it didn't take her much time to kill it.
How often do we do this to people? Sometimes we forget that Christianity is not a magical switch that flips us to perfect. So when we see our Christian friend stumbling or slipping back into old bad habits, we pounce on them like Chloe did on this lizard. It doesn't just have to be our Christian friends, often we do this to non-Christians as well. We picket, and yell until we're blue in the face. If you read the last post, remember that it is completely Biblical to to correct our brothers and sisters in Christ, but I do believe we need to be cautious in how we do it. Check out more of 2 Timothy. He tells us to "preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction" (4:2). Please, please do not miss the words encourage, patience and careful. Our human nature enjoys pointing out the wrong in others quickly and harshly, because if you are a "worse sinner" than me I can feel like I am a good person. This mentality must be overcome because no one is good, check out Romans 3:12. We all struggle and fall short of God's law, but praise God he offers us grace and correction.
Look at Peter after the death of Christ. He had done the worst of the worst. In Jesus' time of need, he denied ever knowing him. Three times. Ouch. He had been following Jesus for three years. Peter had some of the greatest insights and biggest blunders but this, he felt, was impossible to overcome. And now Jesus was dead. But then, early that morning, while the boys were out fishing because they didn't know what else to do, the resurrected Jesus decided to make an appearance. Jesus calls out to them and tells them to cast their nets to the other side, the same as he did when he first called them. Then John recognizes it's Jesus, and Peter is out of the boat in a heartbeat. After breakfast, Jesus simply asks Peter three times, the same number of times Peter denied him, if he loves him. And each time Peter responds yes, so Jesus tells him to feed his sheep (John 21). Look how gentle Jesus is. He could yell, rant and rave. When Jesus felt more alone than he has ever felt in his life, one of his best friends claimed he didn't know him. But Jesus offers a gentle question to a troubled Peter. Do you love me? 
Then there were the times in the Bible when Jesus did get angry. When he used a strong tone for a bold confrontation. He called some of the strongest religious leaders a brood of snakes and asked how they would escape hell (Matthew 23). What is so important is that he knew what each situation called for, and so should we. So be patient enough with the person to know they need. Know them well enough to know whether they need a gentle encouragement or a kick in the pants. And when you can't figure out which it is, pray because God knows.
After assessing the situation, do not deny the person you are lovingly trying to correct the same gentleness Jesus offered. Even when he spoke boldly, it was out of love. Let me toss out an example here. My very first attempt at "spreading the gospel" happened when I was five or six. I had asked Jesus to be my personal Savior and I wanted my neighbor to know him too. So, sitting in my room, I asked her if she went to church. She said no and I proceeded with all the grace and mercy of a child to tell her about the fires and torment of Hell that she was surely bound for. Needless to say she ran home crying and we didn't see one another for a while. Is it right to share the gospel? Yes. But did I do it in the correct way? No. There was no gentleness, no love and no grace when she desperately needed to hear it. When we truly learn about God, it should be his character of love, fun, passion and honesty that draws us to him. So we need to be the showcase of that character to others. And it is when talking to others who already know his character that we may be asked to be a little more blunt to call them back.
This is certainly easier said than done, but it is the effort we must make, especially when we are working with others. We don't want to hurt them, but we don't want them to continue down the path they are on. It is never easy to correct friends, just like it is never easy to be corrected. So when all else fails and you are struggling with gentleness and love, remember "a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1). So don't pick them up in your teeth and throw them against a wall until you kill off their faith completely. Come alongside them and hold their hand. Tell them of your struggles and temptations. Talk to them, pray with them, love them. And please "Let your gentleness be evident to all. For the Lord is near" (Philippians 4:5). I promise you people won't always listen, but it will certainly be more effective than harsh words spoken out of pride and hate rather than love.

Verax: Correction Part 1

By now you have probably all heard about the NSA leaks discussing the program called PRISM that the NSA has been using to gather information through a variety of social media, internet and phone sources. As of yesterday, Edward Snowden came forward to the Post and the Guardian as the man who had leaked the information, an unprecedented action in a major security breach. This post is not about him or even whether it is right or wrong to leak secure information on an international level. This is about how Christians need to adopt the codename that Ed Snowden gave himself: Verax, a Latin word meaning truth teller.
In one of my recent posts, I alluded to some thoughts on correction and said I would go more into detail on those later. Welcome to later. Actually, both posts this week will be on correction because I have found that Christians tend to gravitate toward one of the two extremes. Either Christians are so terrified of correcting someone they know to be wrong that they shy away and do nothing, or they are so bold that they rant and get in your face when telling you how wrong you are. Unfortunately, I have been to both extremes, and both are extremely wrong. Today, we will focus on the shy side.
The world has become pretty fond of the sayings, "don't judge me" and "only God can judge me." And I hate to break it to you, but if you're a Christian, that goes completely against the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul touches on the very subject when he encourages the church in Corinth to expel a man who is sleeping with his father's wife. He concludes it by saying, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?" (1 Corinthians 5:12). Basically, if someone has no understanding of Christ and his teachings, we have no business to correct them of their ways. Why would they listen? I don't listen to the teachings of other religions. Instead, to those outside of the church, we should show love and understanding, not being afraid to associate with them. But those inside, we need to correct. Most non-Christians disapprove of Christianity because those who practice it don't do it well. We will never be perfect but we need to start correcting one another so that we can become more like Christ. We need to become truth tellers.
When I was in middle school, a big thing was to put a sign on someone's back. You know, the "Kick me" signs or something along those lines. Weren't you annoyed with your friends when they didn't tell you about the sign on your back? Or maybe your friends don't tell you your zipper is down. Shouldn't we also be upset when we have a fatal flaw in our character, but those who are supposed to be our brothers and sisters in Christ fail to correct it for fear of being a know-it-all, goody-two shoes or simply of offending us? So let us extend that same courtesy to others and also learn to accept it when it is given to us.
But how do we do this in a loving way? I would say the first step is to know the person. Don't walk up to someone you don't know and tell them about their faults of character. Without a relationship, people will rarely take advice. They do not know your heart and you do not know theirs. So start with friends.
Second, make sure your correction is Biblical. 2 Timothy states, "All Scripture is God-breathed, useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (3:16). Correct others when they are not living in accordance with Christianity, not when you dislike their personality. Know the Bible and use the Bible. And certainly be prepared to explain to the person you are correcting what the Bible says about the particular issue if they ask. 
Finally, use humble love. If you listened to step one, you already have a relationship with this person, so hopefully they know you are coming from a standpoint of love. They need to understand that you do not think you are better than them, but that you simply love them and want to help them to be the best they can be. Remember that nobody likes to be corrected and use grace, but be firm in your convictions. Through all the steps, pray. As humans, we can't correct someone well. Our pride and personal issues get in the way. But Jesus corrected people all the time by saying exactly what they needed to hear. Check out any of the gospels. Some of the people heard and changed their ways, others went away distraught. Pray and gain your wisdom from God, not yourself because "the words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Proverbs 12:18).
So let's get bold. Let's be truth tellers. Let's love people enough that we are heartbroken when their lives aren't lining up with their beliefs in Christ. And through the heartbreak, let's be bold enough to approach them. Sure, let's do it in the right way, but let's learn to take action. We all need a kick in the pants every now and then and that needs to come from our brothers and sisters in Christ. Do not fear correction. It is a beautiful tool when used correctly and it is necessary in Christianity. And when you are corrected, take it in stride. Pray for God to show you where you can be corrected. We all fall short and need a little help along the way. Don't spurn it, accept it with grace and humility. Then we can truly follow Christ.

Boxes and Stew

Have you ever witnessed a kid on Christmas morning? I mean a young kid, think toddler. Cool new toys within their grasp and what do they go for? The box. You could spend hundreds of dollars on one of those cars for kids or maybe a slide and the kid will get excited and then play with the box. Sure they appreciate the toy, and they'll get some use out of it. But right now, that box has everything they could ever need. Right now, that box is a spaceship to another world, a house for a teddy bear or something else too imaginative for my adult mind to comprehend. Does that get under your skin sometimes as parents? To look at the child so happy with a box and say, why don't you want this gift I searched for? This gift I knew you wanted, that I knew you would love? Why is it, when I offer you something amazing, you only care for a cardboard box?
I bet if Esau was a kid in today's society, he would have only ever played with boxes. In Genesis 25:27-34, we see the whole scene play out.

"The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, 'Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!' Jacob replied, 'First, sell me your birthright.'
'Look, I am about to die,' Esau said. 'What good is the birthright to me?'
But Jacob said, 'Swear to me first.' So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left."

Back up real quick for a lesson on birthrights. According to Deut. 21:17, the firstborn son (the one who received the birthright) got a double portion of his father's estate. He took over as head of the household and carried on the family name. He was also blessed by the father before the father died. The father could not give the birthright to a younger son, but the son could forfeit the birthright, lose it, or sell it, which is exactly what Esau does here.
He sells all that he is entitled to by birthright for a bowl of stew. He may not have been a great cook, but he probably could have whipped something up before he died from his hunger. Yet he doesn't. He chooses the box over the gift. Sounds silly doesn't it?
Don't we do the same thing so often? Romans 8:17 tells us that we are the children of God-- that we are his heirs. With that, we become co-heirs with Christ. Through Jesus, we receive a birthright that was never meant for us. We receive a gift we didn't ask for, because it should be unattainable. But through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are welcomed into God's family like we are his firstborn. But how often do we settle for what the world offers us? We want what we can see and what can bring us pleasure now. We certainly don't want to wait until we die to see the full effects of our inheritance play out. Side note: I definitely believe that we can see God move and work in our world when we come to know him and I believe that his Kingdom crashes into our own world, but I'm talking about the whole shabang played out in full as we will see after our death.
Here is a life example of something I have worked and worked to overcome. I am an avid reader. Fiction book junkie right here. And most books it seems I get my hands on, be they science fiction, thriller or anything else, let the hero get the girl and then some if you know what I mean. Many are filled with sexual scenes worse than any movies and I began to feel convicted that I shouldn't read these books. But this was my way to unwind after a hard day. Surely I was allowed that, right? So I denied the conviction and continued to read the books even though I knew they would have a trashy scene or two. Then this story hit me like a brick and I started to think about how insignificant these books were compared to eternally walking with my Creator. I was selling my birthright for stew.
What is your stew? Pornography? Anorexia? Drunkenness? Sex? Greed? Addiction? Obsession over body image? Material wealth? The list is a mile long. Is there something you feel famished for that isn't in line with God's word? Is there something you would argue, like Esau, that you would die without it? Give it to God. Remember that no pleasure or sin in this world compares to His future glory, and he longs for you to have a part in that. For me, it took me writing the word Soup on my kindle, to caution myself in what books I read because they are stew in comparison to the feast God has for me. So take action. Do something or talk to someone. Forget about the box, and instead, enjoy the beautiful gift God has prepared just for you.

Spiritual Stretch Marks

I've reached that moment in pregnancy where I have stretch marks. Some women never get them (jealous) but I am not one of those lucky women. Men, you may not understand, though rumor has it my dad got them when bulking up in college, so maybe you can relate. Stretch marks. Proof of growth. Humans typically love to document growth (until it goes out instead of up). As kids, my brother and I had a spot at our grandparents where, every time we visited, we would mark how much we had grown. We measure professional growth by pay raises and promotions and academic growth by diplomas and degrees. In America we like to know that we're growing. I'm not a huge fan of these stretch marks but I can't feel the baby kick yet, so it offers a nice reminder that I am growing and there is something happening. We love to see proof of growth, but this is difficult in the spiritual realm because it isn't visible. Or is it?
When the Bible speaks of growth it often uses an analogy of the time that makes sense to an agricultural people and speaks of the growth of trees. Trees are considered strong when they are rooted firmly and established and when they bear fruit. In John, Jesus says, "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John15:1-2). He paints this beautiful picture of himself as a tree. Break out your imagination and try to picture this: Jesus is a tree and we are his branches. God, the Father is rocking overalls, and a straw hat with dirt on his hands, and in those grubby hands, he holds garden shears. As branches, we have life and growth because of Jesus, the tree (or vine, but for me a tree is easier). Some branches, however, are not growing so they get cut off. Papa Gardner doesn't really like dead branches. But those that grow are pruned so they grow even more. Then comes the big one: we learn that if we are growing and alive, we will be bearing fruit.
So what does this fruit look like? Well maybe you've heard of the fruit of the spirit. I think this is the best place to start. But first, let me emphasize of the Spirit. When Jesus was compared to a tree in Isaiah, it it listed the fruit he would bear because the Spirit of the Lord rested on him (Isaiah 11). Know that we cannot bear fruit if we do not have God. Jesus went on in John 15 to say, "I am the vine and you are the branches, if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (vs. 5). So first, we must know him and remain in him, then we will be filled with the Holy Spirit and be able to bear fruit. This cannot come from our own efforts. Growing your own spiritual fruit is about as easy as holding out your hand and making an apple come out of it. When we try to do it ourselves, we become exhausted and ineffective; it can only be done when we are fully connected to the source of life.
Now, for the fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 defines the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Read those again. Does you every action speak of this fruit? Yikes. Mine doesn't. See what I mean about we can't do it ourselves? We have to call on Jesus and it must be his work within us. By the way, this isn't just a one-time deal. You must call on him daily, hourly, by the minute. He is your tree, your source of life, your oxygen. Try holding your breath for a full day, it obviously doesn't work. Nor does it work when we are cut off from Jesus, our true source of life.
So remain in him and bear some fruit. And once you begin to bear this fruit, you will bear fruit in the way of leading others to him. When you begin to exhibit these traits in your workplace, people will wonder what is wrong with you. Can you imagine a person who constantly exhibits love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control? People would lose their minds!
So let's bear some fruit. The world is hungry for a taste! Don't be the branch your Gardening Father wants to cut off, but be the one he prunes so it becomes more and more fruitful throughout this lifetime. Do you have any spiritual stretch marks? I hope so because we all need to be growing. Thankfully, no plant can grow without water, sun and air, just as we cannot grow without our true source of life and nourishment. So remain in him, show some stretch marks and give the world a banana!