For Others' Sake

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles - Ephesians 3:1

It's not easy to give up what is rightly ours for the sake of others. It's even less easy when we can rightly determine that "they don't deserve it." It's human nature, perhaps, to cling to our privileges and prerogatives because they lead us to the mistaken impression that somehow we are important. We want to mark our territory, draw our lines, and dare anyone to try and cross them.

In Ephesians, though, Paul shows us a different way. Paul gave up status and prestige that were rightfully his because of Christ's work on the cross. Paul, the Jew among Jews and the Roman citizen, became a traveling missionary, ostracized from the people who once esteemed him, making tents (rather than teaching) for a living, all for the sake of a people that he once believed were unworthy of salvation. He followed the example of Christ in becoming "nothing" at least in the world's eyes, so that he could demonstrate the love of Christ to people who were lost. 

For many of us the story is so familiar that it's power has become dim, but let's not let it. Instead, let us recognize all that Paul had, all he gave up, and the reasons that he did so. Paul realized that his life was sacrificed to Christ and that Christ desired to do a work for others through him.  Paul was "Christ's prisoners" so that through his service, the Gentiles may come to know Christ.

Whose life does God want you to impact through your service to Him today?





Question: What have you been willing to give up in order that others may know Christ?

Defined by Love

What’s a definition? If you’re like me, a definition is something that I seek when I lack understanding. That’s because a definition gives meaning, context and substance. When we say that we are defined by something then, it means it creates meaning, context and substance in our lives. In other words, if you want to understand someone, seek to understand what defines them.

In His Scripture, God is generous with descriptions of Himself. He is “love”. He is the “way, truth, and life.” He is a refuge, shield, and fortress. He provides these descriptions because they help us finite creatures, begin to understand an infinite God. Just like a dictionary’s definition, they engender meaning, context and substance.

Scripture is also very clear as to what should define Christians. “They shall know your disciples by your love.” In other words, if you want to make meaning out of a Christian’s life – you should be able to do so through the love they have for other believers. The context of a Christian’s life –the overall atmosphere in which they operate – that too should be characterized by love. The substance, i.e. the nature, of a Christian’s life should be actionable service demonstrated through love. Love should be what defines us, not only in our own hearts, but in the eyes of everyone who encounters us.

Loving like this is not easy. However, as a former boss used to say, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Let us be defined by love, and in doing so may we be more like the One who is love.

Learning from Laundry

All of us have chores that we don't mind doing, and some that we wish we never had to do again.  For me, doing the laundry is one of the chores that fall into the latter category. I actually don't mind getting the laundry started - after all, throwing the clothes into the washer and then into the dryer isn't that difficult, but once the dryer buzzer goes off, I'll come up with all kinds of excuses not to finish the job. This really isn't a good idea, since eventually I always have to do it, but I avoid it like most people avoid the dentist.

My apathy towards folding our clean clothes has some interesting consequences. One of them is that I'm often forced to dry clothes a second time since they're wrinkled by the time I get to them. The other is that when it comes time to actually prepare the clothes for our dresser drawers, I'm apathetic about folding them in a proper and organized way. Instead, I'm much more likely to want to hurry through the process, so I can get back to something, ANYTHING, that I enjoy more.


However, several times as I've been tempted to speed through the folding process, I've been forced to slow down. The reason for this is that I've been reminded that no longer are the clothes I'm folding only my own. Instead my wonderful husband's clothes are also being prepared by my hasty hands and I'm conscious of the fact that one of the ways that I show him that I love him is through the time and energy that I spend doing things for him.  If I do less than my best, what is that saying about the quality of my care and concern for my beloved? (A quick disclaimer - my sweet husband would probably never criticize even if I left the clothes in a big heap. However, his graciousness is not an excuse for my carelessness. :-))


As I've been prompted to take more time doing the chore I'm not fond of, I'm reminded that I owe the same commitment of care to Christ. After all, how often do I go about doing things for Him in a half-hearted manner? Do I read my Bible just to get it done or because I'm delighting in the opportunity to spend time with Him? If He puts a special call on my heart to love someone who's not my favorite, do I do so with grudging acceptance of the task, or do I look at it as a chance to display my love for Him and His love for others? Even the mundane things that God calls me to deserve my best, because it is Him that I'm doing it for.


I never thought that the laundry room would be a place that I could learn to love my husband more. I certainly never thought it would teach me about loving Christ. However, I'm grateful that God uses even the simple things to teach the profundity of Him.

How My Parents Made a Difference

It's rare that I use this space to reflect on personal things. Or more correctly, it's rare that I'm personal in my reflections. However, every once in a while I break this rule, and this is one of those occasions.

The reason for this departure from the norm isn't all that earth-shattering. It's just that throughout this week, I've frequently been reminded of how grateful I am for my parents. For those of you who don't know them, let me start off by just saying - they're great. It's an undeniable fact that my mom and dad are just truly outstanding people. And that's a good enough reason by itself to be grateful for their presence. However, it's not just their sheer remarkableness that has me writing about them today. You see, not only are my parents great people, they are exceptional parents and that's a distinction that's often lost today. For not only did my parents model and exemplify what it meant to be a follower of Christ by how they lived their lives, but they followed Him in the way that they parented me. And for this fact, no amount of gratitude is sufficient.

You might wonder how it's possible to not only live a life for Christ, but to parent as Christ would parent and I think that's a fair question. My response is simple, although enacting it is complex. There are two things that are always paramount in my mind when I think of how my parents raised me. First - I always knew they loved me, and I always knew that if I went against their directions, there would be consequences. That may seem counterculture in today's world, but it wasn't in my parents' home. Regardless of how they punished me, it never diminished my understanding of their love. And because of how much they loved me, they never shied away from correcting my misbehavior.

The second thing that my parents did is that they prayed for me. Just like Christ intercedes for His children, so my parents did for me and my sister. Even as a child I knew this. And even as an adult, I don't think I can comprehend the power of those prayers. I'm confident that I am who I am today primarily because of the time they spent lifting me up to our Father, but only heaven will reveal the full return on that investment.

My mom once told me that her and my dad used to say that God was raising us and the truth is, she was right. I'm confident that the omnipotent Father had plans for our lives and that regardless of what my parents did, He would bring them to completion. However, the manner in which my parents raised us not only provided a great example of God's love, but they prepared us to receive the direction He would provide. John Wesley's mother is said to have spent hours daily praying for her kids. And at least two of them (John and Charles) are still notably impacting the Church today.

On this side of heaven, my parents may never receive the acclaim that's now afforded to Susanna Wesley, but I know that they will be rewarded on the other side. And I know that the only praise that will be louder than mine will the words of our Savior acknowledging their faithfulness and a job well done.

At the Sound of the Bell

Temptation is never an easy thing to deal with. That's why there are so many weight loss programs out there. If it was easy for people to forgo the things that taste good but are bad for us, then the majority of Americans would probably be much more healthy.

However, despite it being hard, Christians can view temptation differently. In our Savior's life it marked the beginning of His public ministry. When He was led out in the dessert to fast, commune with His Father, and face Satan's calls towards sin, it was an indication that He was about to enter the scene. Instead of marking the termination of work in Christ's life, it marked the beginning of God's work that would be publicly displayed through Him.

May we view it the same way. As a pastor at my church stated, Christians should view temptation like the ringing of the bell at the start of a boxing match. It's the signal that there's about to be a fight. And believers have the confidence to know that we have been thoroughly equipped and prepared to win. Our job is then to do that which we've been in training for - to reflect God's glory not only despite the temptation, but within it.

My dad has always said, using his military background as context, that if you aren't being tempted "you better check your six" because if you are being used for Christ's kingdom, you soon will be. May we not only be on the lookout for what's calling us away from God, but may we recognize the honor that it is to fight temptation like our Savior did, and to stand victoriously with Him.

Breaking the Rules

He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." - Mark 5:34

There's an old saying the "familiarity breeds contempt." The idea is that the more something is commonplace the less we think of it as special. Sometimes familiarity can also breed complacency. For Christians, this often happens when a story that we've heard from youth looses its meaning. The miracles of the Gospel can be seemingly commonplace and expected because we saw the flannelgraph characters since childhood. It becomes another "same old, same old" rather than an astounding act of God's grace.

The story of the bleeding woman who is healed is no different. Here is a woman who had been suffering from a humiliating and life-altering ailment for over ten years who was healed simply with a touch of faith. A life was changed for not only was she healed, she was once again accepted.

To realize the power of this act, we have to recognize what the rabbinical rules were for those who suffered from this condition. Leviticus 15:25 indicates that this woman was "ceremonially unclean" which meant that she couldn't worship, socialize, or participate in community as a "normal" person. She was ostracized from the rest of a society that few of us can imagine. Yet, when she met Jesus, she was in the midst of a crowd. In a place where everyone was battling for Christ's attention, He reached out to the one that wasn't supposed to be there.

It's not only stories from the Gospels that become familiar to us. In some instances the Gospel itself - the Good News of salvation- can become commonplace in our lives. This should never be. We, just like the woman who was healed, should be shattering boundaries and breaking the rules in order to meet with our Savior. Nothing should keep us from being at His feet. Nothing should stop us from feeling His touch.

Unqualified Generosity

It's a debate that perhaps you've had - either with yourself or with friends. What do you do when you someone on the street asks for money, food or help? On one side, people cite documented or experienced deceit, when people have acted like they were in need when they really weren't. There is also the point that organizations exist to provide such needed assistance. Additionally, people raise legitimate fears about how the money will be spent or perhaps, there are appropriate safety concerns for the potential giver. All of these make sense. All of these are rational explanations of why we should gently shake our head "no" and move one. And yet, the other side contends, Jesus never addressed any of these. All He said was that what you did for the least of this world, would be credited as good done to Him.

It's interesting how we want to put qualifiers on our lives where Christ doesn't put any. So many times people reject Christianity because of all the restrictions, and yet sometimes, we as Christians use our own "logic" to offer additional ones. Maybe the reasons for these are well-intentioned, but sometimes, I fear that they conflict with Scripture. Particularly in the case of giving. Scripture says "God loves a cheerful giver" not a well-intentioned, or a well-rationed, one.

The generosity that God commanded was unqualified. He said "give" to those that He puts us into contact with. The rest, the outcome, just like every outcome in our lives, is up to Him.

*Postscript - Although God has called us to be generous, He has also called us to be wise. One way to mitigate many of the concerns raised above, is to have a stash of fast food gift cards at the ready to add out to those in need. In my own walk as a reluctant giver, it's been a great way to follow Christ's commands of generously giving.

Accepting Sainthood

The movie Julie and Julia is about one woman's quest to find meaning and significance in her life by cooking her way through Julia child's cookbook on French cuisine, and blogging about the experience. In doing so, the character, Julie Powell, and presumably the real-life version of her, learns about what's truly important and meaningful to her.

Throughout her blogging journey, Julie includes tales of her husband's help in producing the fine cuisine. Repeatedly she calls him "a saint." Later, in a burst of anger, he rejects this title and in fact emphatically asks that she stops using it. He contends that it represents an inaccurate portrayal and puts him up on a pedestal off which he is bound to fall.

Now, without dissecting Eric Powell's line of reasoning, its easy to understand what prompted him to deny his own sainthood. After all, while we all want people to think well of us, we also want them to have realistic expectations. Perhaps the fear of failure is a tad bit stronger then fear of personal rejection.

Upon watching this movie unfold, I was reminded of the fact that Christians also want to refute the title of saint. Perhaps this is because some religious traditions teach that sainthood is reserved for a select few who have been formally canonized. Or perhaps, just like the character of Eric Powell, we are concerned about what that title will do to our reputation. However, Scripture doesn't seem to share our concerns. Throughout God's Word, His people are identified as saints (See Psalm 30:4; Psalm 31:23 and Romans 1:7 among others). If God Himself identifies His children as being saints, why should we reject it?

Instead, we should consider this holy title as a call to live our lives according to the ways of saints. Will we be able to do it perfectly? No. Will we be able to do so in increasing degrees? Yes - through God's own work. And perhaps, just perhaps, accepting this designation will spur us on to live a live worthy of the title He's bestowed.

Character Centered

Warren Wiersbe once stated that the difference between Saul and David was that Saul was concerned about reputation, while David was concerned about character (qtd. by Ronnie Stevens). It's a point easily validated by the Scriptures. After all, Saul was the people's king, the one that was chosen based on their perceptions of what royalty should be. Therefore he had to be focused on maintaining that reputation. David, however, was the man after God's own heart (see I Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22). David's concern then was not about maintaining man's perception of him, but God's.

Maintaining this distinction is not easily done in our own lives. After all, we are more often aware of our reputation then God's perception of our character. We hear whispers in the hall, see a comment on Facebook, or receive an unsolicited piece of feedback and our reputation is quickly revealed. Character, however, is something that's easier to mask, and therefore we often sacrifice it in order to maintain our reputation. After all, if our heart is not in the right place who's going to know but us?

The truth is we know that there is One who does know when are heart is askew. We also know that sooner or later our reputation will be affected by our character. After all, "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45) and "a man's heart reflects the man" (Proverbs 27:19). If our character is not right, sooner or later we will mess up our reputation.

The challenge then is to put our focus on where it should rightly be - not on maintaining our reputation but on maintaining our character. As David's life can attest this commitment to character will not be without its challenges, or failures, but in the end, a life focused on maintaining a heart after God's own, will earn the rewards that reputation alone can never achieve, rewards that last long after our reputation fades away.

A Road Often Travelled

As is common in Southern California, I commute to work. As is uncommon in Southern California, my drive goes against traffic, which means, that although my car accumulates mileage much faster than cars across the rest of the nation, my drive is much more pleasant than most of other commuters. What this also means, is that it is very easy to relax on my way to work. In doing so, there are times that my attention to my surroundings is lacking. More than once I've been driving along, and I look around, surprised at where the journey has already taken me. (Before you get concerned, I do pay attention to the cars and other objects in proximity to me; I just don't always pay attention to the landscape.) Less frequently, there have also been times when I've noticed my surroundings and asked myself "wait, am I on the right road?" It seems to be a place that I've never been before even though its part of my regular commute. A few seconds later, I'll realize this and wonder how I could have gotten so confused to begin with.

The cause of all this uncertainty is that when I'm on a familiar path, my attention tends to wander. I think I know where I'm going so I don't have acknowledge the signs and the signals as I must when it's a place I've never been before. I relax in my commitment to awareness and as a result I find myself asking, "Wait, where am I?"

As a long-time Christian, this also happens in my walk with God. When I get comfortable, when I get complacent, I stop paying attention to the signs and the signals along the way. My commitment to diligent watching fades and I get to a place where I ask "How did I get here?" and "Wait, where am I?" I think I'm on the right road and hit cruise, only to have my attention called to an unfamiliar sight and I must question whether I am in fact, walking the intended path. Thinking I've been down the road before, I neglect the practices that got me safely there to begin with.

This is no good thing. Just like driving is a "privilege not a right" a close walk with God is not a guarantee, even for believers. We must continuously do those things that make us aware of how God is leading. Even on familiar paths, we must pay attention to His directions. Otherwise, we may find ourselves in a place where we look around, surprised, and ask "Are we on the right path?" and regret the answer.

Two dogs, a girl, and a lesson

Having two small dogs is full of adventures. Having grown up with only big dogs, it takes a while to get used to the quirks of 2 dogs that combined weigh just over 20 pounds. Although I was never a fan of small dogs when I was younger, I've grown to love my two companions. Goose and Maverick live up to their names on a daily basis; Goose is very silly and Maverick likes to get away with whatever he can. They aren't exactly like their Top Gun namesakes, but they are entertaining nonetheless.

One of the oddities about having small dogs is that when you walk them you can use a connector to join their two harnesses together. This way you only have to carry one leash and the dogs can calmly walk side-by-side each other. That's the theory at least. My dogs, again living up to their names, like to do the exact opposite of what's intended. Although they've gotten the hang of both walking the same direction if they meet an obstacle, almost without fail, they will choose to try to go around it in completely opposite ways. Even when they are both going to the same place, they battle over which side of the sidewalk they will choose to walk on. One of the dogs (Goose) weighs nearly twice the other, so he usually wins, but that doesn't keep Maverick from making his position known. And so their stubborn wills cause an untold number of mishaps and reprimands as we strive to get towards our destination.

Recently, it occurred to me that my dogs' desires to have their own way has a lesson for me as well. You see, just as my dogs are thethered together when they walk, I have made a commitment to walk life's journey alongside a wonderful man...my husband. However, my commitment to him isn't momentary, but life-long. So, just as with my dogs, it's important that we are walking in the same direction. However, equally important is that when we encounter an obstacle, we go around it together. Sure we could each struggle to get our own way, and maybe eventually we would get to the same spot on the path, but when we both take the course and the bumps side-by-side, the journey is so much sweeter for each of us.

What's true in my relationship with my husband is also true in our relationships with God. He wants us to walk with Him on our journey, not struggle for our own way. He wants us to be tethered so tightly to Him that we view obstacles from His perspective, and combat them accordingly. When we put our faith and trust in Him, knowing that He knows the way, we can rest assured that we will arrive at our desired destination. And we can do so, without struggling to ensure our own position and demands.

I sometimes doubt that my dogs will ever completely learn how to walk calmly when they are tethered together. However, there are two other dogs in the neighborhood that give me hope. They walk in partnership - seeing each obstacle as their obstacle; seeing each break in the path as one they will walk together. May I approach my relationship with my spouse in the same way. And even more so, my relationship with God.


**Bonus points to any reader who can name the TV show that provided the inspiration for the title of this blog. :-)

Divesting Diligently

Perhaps because of the recent economic contraction, we are all more familiar with the idea of divesting. In business terms, it's when a company sells off a business unit or product line because its become unprofitable. (Any of my marketing students who read this will recognize that these are the "dogs" in Boston Consulting Group's SBU Matrix.) In more recent times, divesting has perhaps taken on a more personal level as people have sold off or given away personal assets that were no longer financially possible. They did this as a point of necessity, just as organizations do with unprofitable units.

While it is beneficial to make give up those things that are having a negative impact on our financial outlook, its also sometimes beneficial to make a practice of divesture, even when situations don't mandate it. I started this practice several years ago when, one Christmas, I realized that my accumulation of stuff was outpacing my desire for it. I decided that to combat this phenomenon I would make an annual commitment to give away those things that I was not using, that were replicated with other things, or that could be of benefit to someone else. It became a little crusade of mine that I would somehow stay at net neutrality when it came to the things I owned. So if I bought a shirt, I gave another one away. If I read a book, and no longer needed it, it was shared with a friend who may enjoy it. My implementation of it hasn't been perfect, but the concept has been freeing.

While I think this practice is a good one, I also think its incomplete. That is because I gave away for my benefit, to accomplish something I wanted, while I should have been giving for the benefit of others. I should be diligently divesting not so that I may gain my desire aim, but to help others gain what they need. Divesting is then no longer for the good of the giver, but of the givee.

The concept is not a new one. Maxey Jarman, the founder of Genesco & of Jarman shoes stores, and who once had controlling ownership in Tiffany & Co, was famous for giving substantial portions of his wealth away. When faced with economic downturn, he was asked by his protege, Fred Smith, whether he regretted his generosity. In response Jarman said, "The only thing I lost is that what I have kept." (qtd. by Stevens, Ronnie. 2009, May 3). And Jarman was on to something. When we diligently divest what we own no longer consumes us. Instead, we are consumed by what we may give away, and this is a much better, and less demanding, controlling interest.

*The title for this blog was inspired by Ronnie Steven's sermon titled on Acts 2:42-47 on May 3, 2009. If you have never listened to one of Pastor Ronnie's sermons, I highly recomend it. His gift of exposition is one of God's hidden treasures.

Humble Strength

I like helping people. It's a weird thing to say (or to write), I know, but it's true. I get more joy out of helping someone else accomplish their goals then reaching some milestone on my own. It's probably one of the reasons I entered the teaching profession. And why I was never that good at competitive sports.

The thing with being a helper is that its sometimes hard to know when you are helping too much. I face this with my students all the time. It's easy to tell them the answer when they ask a question, but much more beneficial to them if I make them think it through and come up with a response. Sometimes helping someone well means helping them figure it out on their own.

However, despite the fact that I like helping, I find that sometimes my desire to help is overwhelmed by my desire not to. There is a great tendency to make excuses for not wanting to help. It's easy to justify our non-involvement in other's lives in a variety of ways; we don't have the time, resources, or ability. We aren't sure how to best provide help. We don't know how beneficial our help will really be. Or a thousand other excuses that enable our inaction.

The truth, however, is far from any of these seemingly justified responses. The truth, I'm afraid, is that often we don't get involved simply because we don't want to. In our pride, we want to to make others do things on their own - just like we fancy we did. In our arrogance, we think we know better, and so should everyone else. The reason we don't help isn't we can't. We don't help because in truth, we don't care.

However, one of the great things about God is that He has already considered these lame justifications and countered them. Feel like you don't know how to help, then great, because God already given you the first (and the only step) - to love as He did (John 15:12) Feel like you are too good to help, even better, because God says he will exalt that which is humble, and humble that which exalted, which sound like the perfect predicate to helping someone you view as "less" than you (Matthew 23:12). Feel like you don't have enough strength to help, wonderful, because God says His strength is made perfect in your weakness (I Corinthians 12:9), and it's hard to imagine anything being more helpful than God's perfect strength.

Which brings me to the point of this discourse. When we think about helping and then decide not to its often because our helping exposes our soft spots, our vulnerabilities. Helping requires that we take a risk and we are sure that we are courageous to do that for another. And yet, we know that being humble is the mark of true strength. For when we are humble enough to serve, we demonstrate that we are strong enough to trust in God's ways. When we are humble enough to serve, we remind ourselves, and those we help, that He is strong enough to save.

Revisionist History

In politics, opponents will often accuse each other of having an inaccurate view of the past. Whether they are wanting to disavow a now unpopular position, or they want to claim affinity for a suddenly popular one, its not uncommon for political figures to exhibit selective memory...and to hope their constituents do the same.

What's common in politics in also common in the rest of the human race as well. Ask people whether they think they will go to heaven, and a majority will probably answer "I hope so." When probed deeper and asked why they believe they will gain admittance, it is common to hear "Because I've lead a pretty good life." Of course, the benefit of this type of statement is that its very hard to prove the alternative in that moment, and so the questioner will assume that the person's life has, in fact, made a positive contribution.

Rarely, however, do we give an accurate account of the life we've lived. Even our overt actions are often insubstantially justified. When you include our hidden thoughts, feelings and emotions as well, it seems ludicrous that any of us can claim to have "lived a good life" let alone a life that is good enough for a holy God.

The apostle Paul, however, runs counter to this tendency. Here was man who repeatedly listed his iniquities and gave an account for his sinful actions. He did this, not to boast in the deeds he had done, but in the grace he had been shown. He did it to demonstrate that only God can truly revise a person's history.

Let us follow the apostle's example. Let Christians acknowledge their sin and the grace that has been showered upon us. And let us thank our God who intervened in history and change our future.

Wisdom Beyond Words

"Nature abhors a vacuum" This Aristolean principle helps explain why air fills an "empty" space, why liquid goes to the edge of the container its given, and why, regardless of the size of our house, we always seem to be able to fill it with stuff. We grow to the space we are given whether it terms of our potential or in terms of our physical possessions.

In the same way that nature fills emptiness, many fill silence with the presence of speech. In a car ride with others, a litany of syllables fill the air. Waiting for a doctor's appointment, we start chatting up the other unsuspecting patients. An elevator is our worse nightmare, because as we wait for the ten-floor ride downward we aren't sure what conversation is most appropriate.

Sometimes though, words aren't what's needed. "Silence is golden" as they say, and while you may not be able to sell it on the commodities market, there is value in the absence of words. We speak because we want to demonstrate our intelligence, our concern, or our care. Sometimes though, wisdom means that we withold our opionions, our options, and our intution to allow God to work. The wisest thing we can do is to withold peddling our perceptions so that we can see things from His. When we are standing before a holy God, all the words that we have to say are useless. Wisdom dictates listening to Him, not ourselves.

Words can captivate and motivate, but words can't love and words can't care. Just ask Micheal Oher, recently drafted to the Baltimore Ravens. Once homeless, he's now a member of an NFL, primarily thanks to the actions of one caring family in the community. Words couldn't do that, only action could. While thousands may have been able to tell Oher what he needed, only one family actually provided it.

We speak to elevate ourselves in the presence of our audience, whether its a thousand people, or just one friend. However, oftentimes the best thing we can do is direct them to the One audience that really matters and tell them to listen to Him.

Bring It On

Perhaps the phrase "Bring It On" is most-often associated with a movie about rival cheerleader squads. In it, the phrase serves as a taunt to proclaim one squad's superiority over the other. "Bring it on" they say, with confidence that whatever the other team may bring, they will do better.

However, around the same time this movie was seeping into our nation's consciousness, and before it proliferated way too many sequels, Steven Curtis Chapman had a song with the same name. "Bring it on" he proclaimed, with the intended recipient being the Persecutor of Christians. Sure, there may be tough times, the song exhorted, but if those times bring us closer to our Father, than "bring it on."

Chapman's song emphasized an important point, reminiscent of James' point to the early Church that they should view their trials with joy because they produce perserverance in faith (James 1:2-3). And while this point is a good one, and it can help us to have a right view of the struggles we encounter, there is another reason that we should say "bring it on" when, as Christians, we face tough times. The more we suffer, the more we struggle for Christ's sake on this Earth, the more we will be rewarded in the next (See Matthes 5:11-13). When our difficulties arise as a result of our faithfulness to Christ and His calling, we can with confidence combat our trials. We say "bring it on" not only for the Earthly benefits of tested and proven faith, but for the heavenly ones as well.

This is no small tasks. Welcoming trials seems in opposition to all that we as humans crave. We desire the avoidance of pain, and the propenderance of pleasure. And while we shouldn't seek out troubling situations, just for the sake of encoutering them (See Matthew 4:7), we also needn't fear them. We can confidently say "bring it on" knowing that in the end our rival will be conquerored and our reward great.

Appreciating the Pride Killer

I used to always say that I'm my own worst critic. In a lot of ways, this is still true. On an average day, I'm probably going to evaluate my performance worse than those that observe me. Frankly, it's not a matter of self-esteem, but a desire for continuous improvement. It's an annoying quality to be sure, but for some reason, that's just how I was made.

However, I've learned that despite this tendency, I still squirm at the critiques of others. Every semester I get to experience this first hand when student evaluations are released. Now don't get me wrong, I truly value and appreciate the students' feedback. From this feedback I learned things that they like, and things that they didn't. I'm able to improve my classes and make them more applicable for the next round of scholars. Their feedback promotes what I love - continuous improvement. Plus, I've been giving them feedback all semester, the least I can do is give them an opportunity to share their's. But in a room full of 30 people, it's hard to please everyone. And it's always the comments from the one who's disappointed that stand out to me.

What I'm beginning to learn though is that the resulting bruise to my ego isn't necessarily a bad thing. I grimace at their critiques because I want to be the professor that they love. I justify their comments and rationalize away their insights, because I want to believe I'm good at my job. However, when I look at the pronouns associated with this line of reasoning, I realize it's all about me. I'm hurt, I'm unfairly criticized, I'm disappointed. It's my pride that's wounded, and nothing else.

However, as a Christ-follower, I not only know that pride is not only a sin, but the more pride fills me, the less Christ does. If I'm so consumed with justifying what I've done, the clothes I choose, or the manner in which I teach because I believe that all-in-all I've done a good job, then I'm not at all focused on the work of Christ. Sure, it's good to take an inventory of how I've used the opportunities God has given me, but once I let it destroy my confidence in Him, I know that it's my pride that's experiencing pain. Criticism wounds pride and criticism is a pride-killer. As a follower of Christ, I want less of me anyway, so why shudder at the injury?

Maybe a day will come when I will rejoice at the day student evaluations are released. Maybe someone will critique my driving, or my cooking, and I will thank them. At the very least, I hope to appreciate how as a result, pride is killed in my life, and thereby, in humility, embrace the criticisms that come.. . .whether or not they are deserved.

Mission Minded

'...And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?' - Esther 4:14


I've always loved the story of Esther. Perhaps its my love for any "against all odds" story. Or the fact that the hero a strong woman. I've never fully explored the reasons why - all I know is that I can't think of a single other Old Testament story that captures my heart in quite the same way.

If I was going to choose a rival for the story of Esther, though, it would have to be the story of Abigail (See I Samuel 25). Only briefly mentioned in Scripture, this is a woman that saved her husband (who doesn't seem to have been the nicest of guys) and her household from almost assured destruction at the hands of the anointed king, David. Perhaps Abigail is the reason for the saying "a man's heart is through his stomach" for after assuaging the king's anger with food, she would eventually marry him.

However, while Abigail and Esther share many things in common, namely they were both beautiful, savvy and aware of the power of a cooked meal, perhaps their single most important shared characteristic was that they remained focused on the mission God gave them. In Abigail's case, she desired to share her loved ones and her estate; in Esther's case, she needed to save an entire nation. Both of them set out to do that to which they had been called, when from a human perspective there was little chance of success. They did so because they realized that perhaps God had bigger plans for their lives than they had envisioned. Even though they may have disagreed, God had uniquely positioned each of them to accomplish His purpose "in such a time as this."

Where has God placed you during this time? Is there something to which He has called you that you are hesitant to pursue because you are not confident of your own abilities? Are you pursuing your own plans and hoping God will bless them? Let it not be! Find out what He wants for your life - and then remained single-minded about pursuing it - as you pursue Him. The good news is that if He has called you to it, He has also equipped you to accomplish it. Also, regardless of the outome, a Christ-follower can be confident that even if things don't turn out as planned, He is with you (Heb. 13:5). After all, it is better to seemingly fail doing God's work, then it is to be an utter success doing something different.

The reason that Esther and Abigail were both able to accomplish what they did is because when God called them to something, they both remained focused on that mission. In a society where women were rarely afforded power, through these two women, God changed the hearts of kings. May He do the same with His people today who are committed to Him and who can not be swayed to pursue anything but the mission He has given them.

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliott

Overwhelmed by God

For years, I 've told people that I'm a champion worrier. I can take a seemingly innocuous situation and come up with reasons to be concern. This morning, for example, I walked into a kitchen full of ants enjoying the remnants of one of my dog's dinner. Not only is this disgusting, but for worry-worts like me, it makes my question whether or not I'm a good keeper of my family's house, whether I'm a good pet parent, and about a thousand other concerns that have absolutely nothing to do with the ants' march into my kitchen. To see my worrying in its finest, is really a sight to behold - and not a good one as my husband can attest.

A few years ago it was impressed upon me that despite my natural ability to earn a gold medal in worrying, it really wasn't a godly characteristic in my life. While I was quite willing to trust in God for salvation, I wasn't doing such a good job of trusting Him with life's little mishaps. So began a process of learning to turn things over to Him - and of knowing that they were in His hands from the beginning anyway.

Recently, though, I've learned it's not just about giving things over to God, however, it's about taking all He has to offer instead. For, as John Montgomery from California Baptist University recently said, I should "be overwhelmed by God instead of being overwhelmed by life." God not only takes our burdens upon Him but he offers His grace, mercy and love in exchange. When we are engaged in all that God is, our problems not only seem small in comparison, but they are overshadowed by the magnitude of Him. We are amazed by His mercy, in wonder of His grace, and overcome by His love. When all we see is Him, we cease to focus on our concerns.

The truth is this is not easy, but it's not because of any insufficiency on His part. It's because we choose to focus on other things. However, the more we choose His bigness over our smallness, the closer our perspective is to being aligned with His. And the more we do this, the more He consumes our life, and the more others can see just how overwhelming God is.

The Important 2%

Recently I learned that chimpanzees and humans share the majority of their DNA. 98% of our genetic material is the same, what sets us apart is just two-percent. However, this two percent different is what allows humans to more effectively communicate, to form relational groups, and to do all those other things that chimpanzees are unable to achieve. It's a small difference in our make-up but a significant one.*

In life, there are a lot of things that are small but significant. One chromosomal deficiency can cause a lifetime of challenge. One point uptick in a person's IQ can certify them as a genius. A single digit change on a lottery ticket can be the cause of an expected windfall. If we think about it, its the small differences that really determine who we are. In business terms we call this a company's positioning. It's what sets them apart in the mind of their customers, as opposed to the thousand of competitors that they can choose from. Small but significant differences is what enables Proctor & Gamble to have more detergent brands than a conglomerate should rightly be able to manage. It's a slight change in formula that makes the laundry go from the "whitest whites" to the "line dry freshness." To the producers, it may be a minute adjustment. To the brand loyalists that buy it, it makes all the difference.

In a way, this illustration is demonstrative of this blog's purpose. For a long time, I've written about two different areas of my life. In publishing terms, my topics would have been classified under "Business" and "Christian Living." Both of these topics are important to me; both contribute to the person I am. What I've recently realized is that its their overlap, that small but significant areas in which the two merge, that is my sweet spot. I can't stop writing about business; it is after all, how I make my living. However, it would be equally impossible for me to stop writing about my Christian walk; it makes life worth living. They are two divergent topics and while the overlap may be small, may be just two-percent, it is, I believe significant.

So the purpose of this post is to prepare you for what's to come. In a lot of ways, I've kept these two topics separate...and where it makes sense, I'll probably continue to do so. However, for those who read me regularly, be prepared for a merging of the two. I will write more about organizational life, including the means and methods for effective communication, because like it or not, it's the arena in which most of us spend the majority of our days. Also, because its in this context that I can add the most value, that I can contribute in unique and significant ways. However, the end-game has, and will continue to be for me, the "better things" that lie ahead. I can not write about the here and now and forsake the then and there. It's an unconventional merging, but one that I'm hopeful will be of value. If not, I'm sure that there will be lessons in the failing as well.

2%....It doesn't seem like much. To the God who made the chimpanzee and the human being though, He knew it was enough to radically separate us. Maybe it will also be enough to dramatically change our life at work, as well as how we work at living a life that pleases Him.


*I've been reliably informed that the science behind this discovery is questionable and that perhaps only portions of the DNA code were compared to arrive at this figure. Since the post stands apart from this fact, I'm not going to get into an exact deduction. Suffice it to say - God's creation is marvelous whether the similarity is 2% or 60%,