Christians and Wisdom

A common occurrence at the new year is for people to think about things that they want to change as the new year is ushered in. Some call them resolutions, others call them goals, but the point of them is that there is a desire to change something for the better in our life. We want to do these things for a variety of motivations, but the desire to improve is there.

There is wisdom in this desire to improve one's life and circumstances and situation. In fact, God speaks really highly of wisdom. In Proverbs 9, we have an image painted for us. It is of a lady named Wisdom, who cries out to the people who walk by her. She wants to be found by them. She calls for those listening to leave their simple ways and to walk in the path of insight and wisdom.

God created this world to operate in specific ways. He designed us human beings to live in certain ways when it comes to our interactions with each other. The wisdom that God gives, the wisdom that cries out to be found and embraced, is the wisdom of seeing God's design for life and then working to live according to that design. So when we see God laying out His commandments, we see God's wisdom at work. For example, when God says "You shall not steal," we see the wisdom of what God intends. We tend to get along better with each other when we aren't taking things that belong to others. God designed us to live in relationship with each other according to wisdom.

As you consider God's wisdom, where is God calling you to grow in greater wisdom? Is it in a specific relationship you have? Is it in handling some of what God has given you (such as your finances or possessions)? Is it in simply trying to learn more about how God designed you to live with others? Wisdom recognizes these areas where we can grow, and then adopts a way to address them. So my prayer is that you may grow in seeing and seeking God's wisdom in this new year.  

The Price of Winning the Argument

How much is it worth to have the last word?  Or perhaps, I should ask it more accurately.  How much is it worth to prove that you are right and that the other person is wrong?  It doesn't matter how big or how small the matter may be, if you press things to the point where you prove that you are right and they are wrong, what have you gained and, more importantly, what price have you paid to achieve your victory?

Let's look first at what was gained.  You proved you were right.  Again, it doesn't really matter what the conversation was, what the disagreement or argument was over, you have proven that your point was the correct point.  You now stand more self-assured that you knew the right answer, you stood up for the right answer, and you used your knowledge and insight to prove that you were correct.  Nice work.  The only thing is, notice how many times I wrote the word "you" in this paragraph.  Pushing the point of the argument to where you prove you are right has really only had a benefit for you.  You've grown in your pride, and perhaps even arrogance.  You've shown yourself superior.

Which brings us to the other side.  What price have you paid?  What has been lost in you proving that you are correct?  Well, the other person didn't win.  Again, whether it was a large or small matter, you've now "ranked" yourself over them in some way.  Unless you are someone who takes pride in making other people feel smaller and less significant, that really isn't a win.  You've lost them, to some extent.  You've taken away from their worth and value.  You've exalted yourself and humbled them, which means that you have likely also lost some relationship currency.  They may not want to have similar conversations with you, if you are only going to prove that you are right and they are wrong.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote that the Philippian Christians were to consider others as more significant than themselves.  Winning the argument does just the opposite.  Now, to be sure, there are times where it is fully appropriate to win the argument.  If my kid wants to run in the street where cars are driving, I'm going to win that argument.  However, I only do so because there is a greater value at work, their safety.  If they want to color with red markers instead of blue markers, why do I need to win that argument?  Just because blue is my favorite color?  Just because the sky is blue, not green?

I admit that I have often pushed to win arguments in my life.  However, life experience and God's Word have gone a long way in showing me that winning the argument isn't the great joy it may seem that it should be.  I've learned, instead, to ask questions.  I've learned to listen a lot more, and speak a lot less.  Sure, there are times when my ego wants to win, and I even give in to that desire at times.  But I have also seen the Spirit calm that need within me, seeing what Paul wrote to the Corinthians, that it is sometimes better to be wronged than to get my way.

There is always a cost to winning.  Sure, we have to deal with substantive issues at time, but even then, when we need to be right, we should strive to do so in respectful, gentle ways.  I think most people would value someone who would be right, but would be so in a gentle, respectful way.  I hope that you will be guided by that next time you feel the need to be "right". 

The Power of the Question

I was recently reading through a book in which the author mentioned that he started reading through the Gospel accounts with the goal of counting the number of questions that Jesus asked.  He said that he stopped at somewhere around 300 questions.  Think about that for a moment.  One of the things Jesus did repeatedly was ask questions.  More often than not, He also didn't answer them, but rather allowed the person to work through the answer for themselves.  (By the way, I've also read that letting others answer the question for themselves is just about the most effective way for them to not only learn, but actually retain that information.)

Over the past number of years, I have to say that I have noticed myself moving toward asking questions far more than answering questions, or inserting my thoughts into a situation.  Sure, I might have some knowledge or even wisdom to apply to a situation, and there may be a time where it is suitable to provide that.  However, far more often, it is most beneficial to ask others to work through their thoughts and assumptions on things, to see what they are thinking and, perhaps more importantly, why they are thinking that.  That begins to tap into the power of the question.

I realize that this really isn't anything all that profound.  Yet, it also goes against so much of our human nature.  We want to think that we have something to contribute to the conversation.  We have knowledge that fits the situation, and it just seems appropriate to provide it.  We have wisdom regarding what is happening, and it just seems appropriate to share it for the benefit of others.  Yet, how often have you provided knowledge or wisdom, only to have the other person do something else, regardless of how good or right your knowledge or wisdom was?  Just like we think we have something to contribute, we could also benefit from remembering that they also think that, and somewhere in the back of their mind, they may also think that their way of thinking of the situation is superior to ours.

To ask questions means that we put aside our human tendency to insert our thoughts into the situation. That, my friends, is a hard thing to do. It involves a very intentional effort.  It means that we do as Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians and consider others as more significant than ourselves.  Truthfully, we don't want to do that.  That's why the power of the question so often goes untapped.

I admit that I am still learning this.  I've been coached by a wonderful man of God, who introduced me to much of the power of the question.  I've seen repeatedly in my reading of God's Word how often God asks a question, looking for His people to consider their answer.  And I have grown to see that God's Spirit is at work in ways that I can hardly imagine, and sometimes I have to ask before I see how He is bringing this person before me at this time to contribute something that I would not have seen if I hadn't simply asked for their input.

The power of the question.  What is keeping you from making use of this powerful thing?  How do you see God using questions to grow His people in knowledge, faith, and maturity?  

Saying "Yes" and Saying "No"

Let what you say simply be Yes or No; anything more than this comes from evil/the evil one.  Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 5:37

It's very likely that you have been asked to do something or to participate in something in the past.  You didn't really want to do it, but it was a noble cause, or it was something that you felt that you had some level of responsibility to do.  It could have been a matter of deep importance or something that was of far less importance.  You wanted to say no.  You really didn't have enough time for it, you didn't have the interest in it, or it wasn't in your area of strength.  It may have been something that was very good, but it just wasn't going to be a good match for you.  But instead of saying no, you said that you would think about it, that you would pray about it, and in the end, you may even have agreed to do it, even though it was with something less than enthusiasm.

For a moment, I want to suggest that we often say yes to things that we should not agree to do, and we say no to things that we should say yes to doing.  Answering these in the proper way often involves a level of discernment, and a great deal of getting over ourselves.  If we want to say no because we are too busy, or we don't believe we have the time, or we just simply don't want to do it, we should probably ask ourselves if we have selfish reasons for not wanting to do it.  If we say no for selfish reasons, some time to reflect and discern may prove helpful.  If we don't want to do it because we are busy, it may mean that we really should look at our schedule and see if we have too many other things to which we are saying yes, when we should be saying no.

On the other hand, we also sometimes say yes for without utilizing that same discernment.  We say yes because the person asking really wants us to do it, but we are a poor fit for it.  We say yes because we feel guilty saying no.  We say yes because it's a really good thing, even though our schedule is already full of really good things.  Again, this may be the time when we need to utilize discernment in our reasoning for saying yes.  We may need to get over ourselves again, whether it is getting over our sense of guilt, or because we really don't want to let someone else down and thus have a different opinion of us.

When I was reading this verse above, it really struck me deeply.  Jesus says that anything more than yes or no is from evil, and the reading of evil from the original Greek text implies more of the evil one.  That caught me.  If I try to qualify my yes or no, whatever I add could actually be of the evil one.  If I say yes simply because I don't like conflict, and therefore don't want to offend the other person by saying no, I'm "adding" to my yes, but for sinful reasons, and that is of the evil one.  If I say no because I simply don't want to do it, or I don't want to think about what I might have to give up, again I am "adding" to my no, but for sinful reasons, and that is of the evil one.

I'll be up front in saying that it is hard to simply say yes or no to a situation set before you.  We have this need to explain ourselves within us.  I would suggest that we probably need to actually take more time to discern, to pray, to consider our schedule of activities, and then to respond with either yes or no.  Discerning is difficult, though.  It may reveal that you have said yes to way too many things, and now you need to practice your no.  Or, it may reveal that you have said no simply because you don't want to give of ourselves, and now you need to practice sacrificial giving of yourself.

Now, I don't expect that you are going to read this and all of a sudden have an epiphany and completely change how you answer people.  Perhaps the most I hope for is that you actually do make a little more effort to discern the situation next time you face a "yes" or "no". It is worth noting that we face this discernment as a redeemed child of God in Jesus, connected to His death and resurrection through our baptism.  We will mess up, and add to our no and our yes.  Yet, we also live with the perfect life of Jesus within us, with His death in us, and His resurrection in us.  That makes our no and our yes definitely worth discerning, since He has freed us from the evil one. 

Wisdom and Words

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."  Proverbs 25:11

In addition to the above verse, I would actually encourage anyone reading this blog entry today to read through all of chapters 25 and 26 in Proverbs.  There is a tremendous wealth of wisdom found in these two chapters, which we will be addressing as we think about faith and wisdom and how they relate and play together.

Faith, we are told in the Bible, is the assurance of things that we hope for, and the conviction of things that we cannot see  (read Hebrews 11 to see this more fully explained).  Faith looks at what Jesus has done, and even though it may not make sense why He would do it, or how it would actually change things for us, we put our hope in it, and we are convinced that what Jesus did applies to us, in making us right with God, and in assuring us of a place with God forever.

Wisdom, however, doesn't seem to speak much to matters of faith.  In fact, wisdom actually seems to be much more worldly than matters of faith.  Wisdom speaks to ways of living in this world, and therefore, can actually seem to be somewhat contradictory to faith.  Faith looks at what can't be seen, and believes in it.  Wisdom looks at what exists in this world, and talks about how to best utilize it.

So do faith and wisdom have any connection?  Well, you may recall that yesterday's blog post began with Proverbs 1:7, that fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.  And that right there should show us that there is some kind of connection there.  Being in God involves being wise.  Being foolish is likened to being apart from God, and is definitely not in line with what God would have for His people.

I suppose one way we could think of it is like this.  Wisdom recognizes the pattern that God originally created for us humans to live under, and then works to bring us toward that original will and design.  Wisdom isn't forcing someone to do it.  Rather, wisdom sees that God's design is the best design, and then works diligently to bring one's self into that, as much as is humanly possible.  It's not trying to create a connection with God, but rather, working to live as God designed us to live in His intent in creation.

So wisdom looks to live as God created and designed for us to live.  Faith anticipates that day when wisdom becomes inherent in all of us who are in Christ Jesus, for in the new creation, we will actually be living according to God's will and design perfectly.  Wisdom becomes reality there.  Wisdom becomes a defining characterstic of who we are.  We live according to God's wisdom because God's wisdom is perfect, and because, in Jesus, we have been made perfect in that new creation.

In the meantime, wisdom sees that God designed our lives to operate in certain ways.  Even though sin keeps us from being able to fully live that way, wisdom still strives to bring that about as much as is possible.  It doesn't reconcile us to God, but opens doors to living better and more peaceably among the people of this world.  It's like the apple of gold set in silver, of great value, but only realized when we actually live according to it, with the assurance that, in Jesus, the day is coming when we will all live according to God's wisdom.

Wisdom and Faith

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."  Proverbs 1:7

There is a lot of wisdom literature out there.  In fact, when we look at the book of God's Words to us, we find that there is a lot which can be classified as wisdom literature in it.  God seems to have a thing or two to say about what is wise when it comes to our lives in this world. 

What do we do with all these wise words found in God's Word to us?  Well, there are some good ways of handling these words, and some not so good ways of handling these words.  It would be improper to take these words of wisdom and somehow make them into a law that God's people must uphold.  We may read, for example, that it is wise to hold one's tongue rather than reveal one's foolishness.  We know that it is better to let people think you are foolish than to open your mouth and prove them right! 

Now, how do we connect that with our faith, and what we understand that God has done for us in Jesus?  We know that we have full forgiveness in Jesus for everything sinful, wrong, and stupid that we do in this world.  Yet, do we continue to open our mouths to reveal our foolishness, to continue with the example above?  Well, not really.  Since we have been redeemed and rescued by God in Jesus, we strive to live according to the will and design that He created for us.  And that new life that He creates in us is one which strives to live according to His wisdom, as well.

We can't demand that God's people all of a sudden live wisely, and yet, we encourage and exhort one another to grow in wisdom as God's people.  As we do this, we also see that it impacts how others see us.  When those who do not believe in God see us acting foolishly, they may be led to think that being a Christian is a license to be foolish.  That's hardly the picture we want to paint for them.  We would much rather paint a picture of a people who live wisely in this world, even as we live our lives in faith in what God has done for us in Jesus.

Tomorrow, we'll flesh this out a bit more, as I realize I'm starting to get a little long-winded.

Guilt or Influence

"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom."  1 Corinthians 2:1

How do you go about getting people to do work of ministry?  That is one of the age-old questions.  I would dare say that it will be a question that will continue until our Lord Jesus makes His grand re-appearance at the end of the age.  And until then, we human creatures will continue to work to engage people in ministry in better and in poorer ways.

Up front, I'm going to say that I don't have the best solution, or anything like that.  What I am going to say is that I can see how certain motivations are more powerful than others, and some are called for in one situation, but not in another.  So this topic, like so many others, is more varied and dynamic than we might typically want to approach it.

To start off this discussion, though, I want to focus on one primary area.  Do we communicate that we want people to engage in ministry by making them feel guilty for their current level of engagement, or do we seek to influence them to greater engagement?  I realize that guilt is actually one means of influence, and I will argue that it is one of the weakest ones, especially in our day and age. 

Guilt, I would suggest, is never the ideal means of engaging people in ministry.  At the best, it may promote a time period where they are engaged, but since it starts off from a negative emphasis (i.e., you should be doing more), it simply cannot help but arrive at a relieved end.  Once the level of guilt has been "covered", then it's back to where the person was before.

Influence is a whole other line of thinking.  Influence means that you don't have some way of coercing people into ministry engagement; you have to be persuasive.  You can't just say, "Do this,", but you have to demonstrate what you want them to be engaged with, and how to go about doing it.  Yes, this takes more effort and time, and the working of the Holy Spirit, but in the end, influence would seem to bring about more lasting engagement in ministry, and even more joy.

Guilt, or influence?  I think we would mostly agree that influence is better, but in practice, find it much easier to fall back on guilt.  But maybe today is the day to start making that change in approach. 

What's Your Biggest Secret?

Several years back, I was participating in a leadership set of courses.  The leader for one of these courses had a great deal of wisdom to impart to all of us who were attending.  Among the many things he said, though, one thing has stuck in my mind over the years, a very important principle which I strive to remember and work with in my life and ministry.

His saying was something along these lines.  What's your biggest secret?  You need to discover what it is and figure out a way to deal with it, because Satan is simply waiting to use it to destroy your ministry and to bring shame to the name of Jesus.  The big thing that this presenter was going for was transparency, especially upon the part of the minister and ministry leader.

Now, admittedly, that can be a challenging thing to do.  We all have things about ourselves that we hope and pray to God that no one else in the world unearths.  And truly, it's going to prove impossible to deal with every sinful thought and expression that we have in life.  However, generally speaking, transparency with our sin, and openness with the things we struggle with, far often proves to be of greater value than hiding them away.

I think this can be especially challenging for one in a position of some authority in ministry.  How open is too open, and how open is not open enough?  Admittedly, that is a tough balance to discover.  The minister who is to open about his sinful tendencies can lead people to question his ability to lead and minister.  The minister who is too closed off about his sinful tendencies can seem to convey the sense that he has no struggles, or appears to be too squeaky clean, and therefore unapproachable by someone who truly does struggle.

I would suggest, however, that there is a great position to be open about one's sinful struggles, and to ask for forgiveness for them, especially before they put you into a position where it can damage ministry.  That's the wisdom that I believe the instructor was passing on to us as pastoral leaders, and I think it's a great bit of wisdom that also happens to be competely biblical and applicable.  May God guide all of us to that openness, to admitting our sinful struggles, and being willing to asking for forgiveness and seeing it granted for the sake of Jesus.

Transition Times

In my life, I have seen quite a few transition times.  Some of them have involved moving from one place to another, an event that I've done enough that I'd rather not have to do it too many more times in the future.  Some have involved significant life events, such as marriage, or the birth of a child.  And some have been much less significant, such as the time I decided to change my exercise routine from basketball (due to several sprained ankles and the doctor's advice) to running, and chose a half marathon as my first event.  All have impact, though some have greater impact that others.

Congregations also go through transitions.  Sometimes they involve major things, like the changing of pastors, or locations.  Sometimes they involve such things as refining the scope of the ministry of the congregation, seeking to be led by God's Spirit in ministry.  Sometimes they involve changeovers of significant people, such as when a long-time president or elder or teacher steps aside, or new people begin to make their way into leadership roles.

There are also transitions that come as congregations reach certain numbers of worship attendance.  Once a congregation reaches a certain number of people who call that place their worship home, things inevitably have to change.  One of these transitions arises as a congregation passes about the 50 worshiping community mark.  Up until that point, the pastor is pretty able to be a very hands-on shepherd for all of God's people.  In a congregation of that size, one or two influential members can be very important to the life of the congregation, and their support and work together is vital when congregations seek to minister.  Some would call this the family member size congregation.

After that 50 worshiping community number arrives, a transition takes place.  Now the pastor simply cannot be as hands-on with each person there as he and they might hope.  It becomes simply a logistical matter.  Also, as that worshiping community increases on to 100 and beyond, each individual voice becomes a bit less influential.  God's people begin to look to the pastor, rather than significant influential people for leadership and guidance.  Some would call this the pastor led congregation.

However, another transition takes place when the worshiping community begins to rise between 150-200 (several different authors place the transition at different places, but typically, they arrive between these two numbers in the worshiping community).  No longer can the pastor continue to effectively be the most influential servant among God's people.  He has to now rely upon other trusted leaders, since he simply cannot be everywhere, and attend to all the things that need attention and oversight.  The transition becomes more about the staff that work in close coordination with the pastor.  If that staff (which includes both paid and volunteer positions) are not on the same page and going in the same direction, many difficulties will occur.

This transition places a great deal of importance upon the individuals who walk alongside the pastor in guiding the congregation.  This isn't to say that they all have to agree with everything that the pastor leads (as though that were possible in the first place), but they all have to be able to work together, and then, when decisions are made, be able to support the decision, even if it isn't one they personally were hoping for (and, by the way, that also goes for the pastor, who cannot assert his authority unless it is something mandated by the Bible as right or wrong.  He also has to be able to go where the Spirit may lead through God's people, rather than in his own personal preference). 

Transitions are very important times for congregations.  They have to be handled with wisdom, with sensitivity, and with a great deal of care.  When they are handled well, the congregation remains equipped to share the Gospel message in their community.  When handled poorly, they often set back the congregation and cause an internal examination, rather than a striving to reach out to the community.  As congregations arrive at these transition places, the hope and prayer is always for a smooth, Spirit-led transition.

Who is my neighbor?

One of the more well-known stories that Jesus told from the Bible is that of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).  It's a story that has been preached upon many times, usually with some kind of an emphasis on our care for our neighbor.  We often have found ourselves compared to either the priest or the Levite, people who had an opportunity to help a poor, beaten man on the side of the road, and yet, who refused to help.  We're then encouraged to be more like the man who actually stops and helps the man, who sees to his needs, and brings him to a place of healing.

In future posts, I intend to get into the meaning of this story (parable) a little more.  There's a great deal of depth to this that often goes unseen or unnoticed, and I'd like to highlight some of it for you.  But before we get into that, I actually want to take a bit to introduce the whole reason Jesus told this story.  He didn't just come up with this story on a whim, but told it to convey a very particular point.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus often had people come to Him with hard questions, looking for Him to have an answer for them.  Some people came with honest intentions, wanting to know what God really did think.  Others came looking for a way to trap Jesus in His words, to find something to use against Him when an appropriate time arose.  As we look at the context surrounding the different stories or parables that Jesus told, we get a bit of a better picture on why He would tell that particular story.

This is also the case with the Good Samaritan.  A few verses prior to the beginning of this parable, we have a lawyer approaching Jesus.  Remember, this isn't a lawyer like the ones you and I are familiar with.  A lawyer in that day was more along the lines of an expert in God's law.  This man would have known the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible) extremely well.  He would have been highly educated in everything God had spoken to Moses, and so would have been someone that others looked to when they had questions.

This lawyer asked the very pertinent question about what it took to obtain eternal life.  After all, this was the promise that God had made.  So how does one go about getting hold of it?  And Jesus responded by asking him what he knew from the law of God.  The lawyer fell back on the summary of the commandments.  Love the LORD with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.  Jesus very bluntly told him that if he did this, he would live.

It seems that this wasn't the answer the lawyer was looking for.  He knew that already.  Maybe he thought that Jesus had some further insight into it, or maybe Jesus would take a different approach than what had been taken before.  He just couldn't take that easy of an answer.  There had to be more.  And so, almost in desperation, he asked the question that led to Jesus telling the parable.  "And who is my neighbor?"

That got to the heart of the issue for the lawyer.  Who do we consider to be our neighbor?  If part of the fulfilling of God's command is to love our neighbor as ourselves, then it helps to know who our neighbors are.  So as we continue our journey through this story, we'll look at how Jesus answers this question, and what the parable says about our neighbors.

Immediate Correction or Not?

From Proverbs 18:13: "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame."

It's happened often enough to me now that I almost expect it.  I'm talking to one of God's people about some point of theology, and they say something that's not quite in line with what the Bible says.  Or, I'm talking with someone who isn't one of God's people, and they say something that is blatantly different from what the Bible teaches.  My first instinct in either of these cases is to stop the conversation at that moment and "correct" them.  That's a product of the theological education that I received, as well as some of my own personality that really strives for the "right thing" to be known and believed.

In the past, I've let that immediate desire to correct the person take over.  And guess what I have found on a number of occasions.  My "correction" wasn't all that well received.  For one or two, it actually was upsetting enough that they stopped being interested in our conversation, and sometimes even in the Christian faith.  They had questions, and they had thoughts, and those thoughts weren't in line with what God says.  And yes, those kind of issues need to be gently addressed.  But the point of this post is, should we do that immediately, when it pops up on the conversation?

I've given a lot of thought to this, and I've come up with an answer that I am comfortable living out.  I rarely will give an immediate correction.  Instead, like the verse from Proverbs above, I want to find out more about what has shaped that person's thought or belief.  There may be events in their life that have shaped who they are, and they may not really believe what they say.  Or, they simply may not have ever thought about what they believe and why they believe it.  One thing tends to hold true, though.  They aren't talking about it with the idea that I'm going to instantly correct them on anything that they say that doesn't line up with what the Bible says.

It isn't that I'm avoiding the correction, but I'm interested in learning more about that person.  Then, as future conversations unfold, there may be opportunities to probe a little deeper on that thought or belief, and then, to bring what God says into the discussion.  If I immediately try to correct them, I may lose that future opportunity.  True, there are no guarantees that the future opportunity will ever arise.  And yes, I have to remember what it is that need to be talked about.  But in the grand scheme of things, I'd rather have that discussion at a time when they are ready for it, rather than forcing it upon a conversation just because I heard something incorrect.

Thoughts?  Comments?  What have been your experiences in this regard?

Driven Away

Continuing my thought from yesterday's post, I want to start today with a contrast.  You enter a building through its front doors.  As you enter, the smell of garbage immediately strikes your senses.  As you look to the side, you see a number of garbage bags that haven't been carried out.  The floor appears to have stains all over it.  There's clutter along the walls, so much so that you find you have to follow a little pathway through certain parts of the entry room.  It's unkempt, and doesn't really seem to be well cared for. 

Later on that day, you enter another building.  It's pretty shiny.  There are some nice decorative tables with a few well-designed decorations on them.  Your nose is greeted without any real powerful smell, maybe just a hint of some kind of air freshener.  It's well lit, it shows signs that there is a regular attempt to keep it neat and tidy.  Overall, it gives the impression that its residents care for it.

One of these two is likely to repel people.  The other one is more open and inviting.  Building on what I wrote about yesterday, let's just say that these buildings were churches.  One of these two is pretty likely to send people scurrying away, likely never to return.  The other one may be more open and welcoming.  It removes at least some of the obstacles that could get in the way of the hearing of the Gospel message.

As God's people, we can look at the surroundings of our places of worship and ask ourselves, 'What could possible be an obstacle here that prevents people from hearing the Gospel?'  What could potentially distract people from hearing the message that God has for their ears and their souls?  I'm not saying that we need to keep our facilities bright and shiny and spotless, but I am saying that there may be obstacles to the hearing of the Gospel message that we can do something about.  I would even be so bold as to suggest there if there are things that blatantly distract from hearing the Gospel, that's sin on the part of God's people.  We are not loving our neighbors if we maintain a facility that drives them away from even hearing the message.

I would invite you to think about the places of worship that you enter this coming weekend.  Take a look around with the eyes of someone entering for the first time.  What is there that could easily distract from hearing the Gospel message?  Is it something that can be taken care of by God's people?  What could potentially interfere with their hearing of the message?  True, such things are not the Gospel message, but if they obstruct people from hearing the message, that's something that we can do something about. 

Misquoting

There's a story that I heard a long time ago.  I'm not sure if it's true or not, but it demonstrates the point that I want to make in today's blog.  A man woke up on morning and wanted to see what God had in store for him to do that day.  So he let his bible flop open in front of him and randomly pointed to a verse on the page.  "Judas went out and hanged himself."  Well, surely God doesn't want me to do that, so let's try it again, he thought.  So he shut the bible, let it flop open again, and randomly pointed to another verse.  "Go and do likewise."  Hmm, he thought, that still doesn't sound right.  Third time's the charm and all, so let's try it one more time.  So he closed the bible, let it flop open, and randomly pointed to another verse.  "What you are going to do, go and do quickly."  And after that, I'm not really sure how the story ends.

One thing that I get frustrated with every once in a while is when people will just randomly quote a bible verse to me as though it proves the point they are making.  Sure, there are times when that is appropriate, but the thing that always gets me is this.  In order to do that, you basically rip a verse out of the entire context and story that gives it meaning, and then you cut it out and paste it onto something that you want in order to prove your point.  While it sounds all good and holy, what that sounds like, at least to my ears, is a severe case of misquotation, one that can do a lot more harm than good.

I'll grant you that most people who do something like this really do try to make sure that the bible verse actually does fit with the point that they want to prove.  Using a Psalm verse of praise when you are moved to praise God doesn't seem very out of place.  In general, though, individual verses drawn from the bible, separated from their given context, have a danger in saying something that they weren't originally written to say.

The stories and saying in the bible are written down by humans, but are inspired by God's Spirit.  That means that God says what He wants to through those stories and sayings.  He says them in particular ways because that's the best way to know what He means.  To cut one part out of God's story, and then paste it onto a point you want to make simply because it seems to say the same thing may seem to work, but it goes against the way that God's Word conveys meaning to us.

It's important to know the things that the bible says.  It's even great to memorize bible verses, to have them handy in our minds.  I just throw out the caution to make sure that you try to understand what God is saying through that verse in its context in the bible before you decide to paste it onto something simply because it seems to match what you are saying.

Books, books and more books

With my recent move, I also had the chance to move my many books with me.  Last week, I had some of the young people at the new congregation move my boxes of books over to my office, and earlier this week, I took a little time to unpack them all.  Now my shelves stare back at me, not empty and lifeless, but with many spines and smiles!

That got me thinking this afternoon.  Just how much wisdom and knowledge is there out there in our world today?  I remember reading somewhere that the amount of information that we humans uncover or have access to doubles about every 5 years or so in our information age.  I truly believe that this is, in part, because God has created a unique world with a depth to it that we can never fully attain. 

But I think this also shows us something significant.  Knowledge is one thing. Wisdom is quite another.  Think of it like this.  Knowledge is knowing how something works.  Wisdom is knowing why it works, and how it works best.  Knowledge will only get you so far.  Knowledge without wisdom can actually be deadly.  Knowing how a gun works is one thing.  Understanding that it's not intended to be pointed at people while loaded is completely different.

Of the many books on my shelves, all have great knowledge to impart.  Some of them even have wisdom to impart for those wise enough to grasp it.  And yet, even as I look at them, I recognize that everything they impart pales in comparison to another kind of wisdom and knowledge.

"Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight", says King Solomon in Proverbs 9:10.  Earlier in that same book, he also asserts "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction".  (Proverbs 1:7)  Both wisdom and knowledge find their source and origin in the LORD.  Knowledge comes from Him.  Wisdom comes from Him.  And in the end, He is the end point of all wisdom and knowledge.

Think about all the knowledge and wisdom you have obtained throughout your life.  How does it find its source and origin in the LORD?  How does it point to the LORD as its final end?  After all, without that, it's all just foolishness and a chasing after the wind.

Joy in the Telling

Just admit it.  You get a little bit of a thrill out of it.  Someone does something wrong, and you find a little bit of joy in telling them off.  It's okay to admit it.  You're human.  You're going to find joy in pointing out the faults and flaws and sins of others.  Just admit it.

This week, I have been engaged with the prophet Jeremiah.  I've been reading through his words as part of my preparation for Advent.  And throughout the early part of his message, there are some themes that definitely come to the forefront.  God's people had sinned.  They needed the message of repentance spoken to them.  They needed to have the error and sin of their ways pointed out to them.

Now, you might think that Jeremiah would find some joy in that.  After all, in our day and age, you simply have to turn on the TV to see people shouting about the sins and faults of others.  Some do it for attention, others do it simply because they like to see others knocked down a peg or two.  And why should Jeremiah be any different?  He's human like us, right?

The thing is, you almost get this sense that Jeremiah will faithfully point out what God's people have been doing in their sin, but it's with a sense of regret.  It's almost as though Jeremiah doesn't want to do it, and not just because he knows how the people will react.  He doesn't seem to get any joy in telling God's people off.  It doesn't seem to boost his ego or make him seem to be better than they are.

No, Jeremiah hates that he has to speak this message to God's people.  And in that, we find much that would guide us in wisdom.  Jeremiah sees the need for God's people to hear the message of repentance, yet he hates the fact that it has to come to them.  Because he has been set aside by God to do this, it's not like Jeremiah is gaining anything from pointing these matters out.  There really is no joy in the telling.

I've know quite a few people in my life who seemed to take some amount of joy in letting others know about their faults.  I've even seen that in myself from time to time.  And that's where Jeremiah reminds me that I really shouldn't find joy in pointing out people's faults or flaws.  Sure, they may need to hear about it, but not in such a way that it boosts my ego, or makes me seem to be better than they are.

As I think about this matter, it truly strikes me just how humble God looks for His people to be.  Not only in the pattern of our lives, but even in the way that we show others their sin and fault.  Always with an eye toward God's reconciliation and forgiveness, and not in order to make ourselves more than we ought.  Another hard lesson from the Bible!

Of Government and Faith

Today marks an important day in our nation.  Every four years, we have the opportunity to elect the person who is the face of our government.  More frequently, we also get to elect those people who will represent us in our particular areas, both to the federal government and to the local state governments.  In doing this, Christians show their regard for the institution of public governing that God has instituted for our good and well-being.  For this reason, it is good that Christians get out to the polling stations and cast their vote.

However, even as we go out and elect leaders, as Christians we need to keep something in mind.  These are earthly servants, who are going to be self-serving and self-focused sinners even as they work for the good of the people they represent.  Yes, they are going to make choices at times that are more based upon their chances of re-election rather than the good of the whole people of the nation.  Yes, they are going to make choices that are guided by their hearts, and we will not always agree with them.  And yet, God calls us to pray for them, to support them, and to share our thoughts and concerns with them.

One thing that we also need to remember is that the governing of this world IS NOT GOD.  In our day, it truly saddens me to see how many people put their hope for their well-being in those who govern rather than turning to the God who has made all things, and who loves His creation enough to institute the offices of those who govern.  However, no matter how good a leader may be, or how bad, that person, or the whole system, simply cannot provide care and for protection for every person under their authority.

God does do this.  While He does it in great ways, such as the nourishing of the world and the sending of the seasons to grow crops, He also does it through the hands and feet and mouths and generosity of His people.  Truthfully, I find myself disheartened at times by the care for people that the Christian Church has left to the governing authorities.  In many instances, we Christians should be at the forefront of those institutions and programs designed to care for those in need and want.

It sounds so obvious to say it, and yet, it seems like our expectations really do betray our thoughts.  The government is not God, and never will be.  While they fulfill a role that is there at God's behest, they are merely one part of God's work in this world.  So remember that as you head to your polling station and cast your vote.  And may God still show His working in this world through His people as they rely upon God and His presence in their life, in order to show care for others.

Pearls Before Swine

Okay, confession time.  I love the "Pearls Before Swine" comic strip.  When I get the chance, I try to read it.  I find it very funny, and yet, even within those little 3-4 frames, you can find a nugget of wisdom to mine out every once in a while.

When Jesus says that we should not cast our pearls before pigs (Matthew 7:6), we may sit back and wonder what exactly that means.  From a literal sense, who would ever throw a valuable pearl into the mud with the pigs?  None of us.  That pearl has no value to the pigs.  Though it may have great value to a person, to a pig, it's nothing more than a rock to ignore.

Thinking along those lines gives us a little insight into what this phrase may mean.  Attempting to give something of value to someone who does not see it as having any value is throwing your pearls before the pigs.  And this could apply to many things in our lives.  The matter of importance in this seems to be how your "pearl" will be received.

Have you ever shared something with another person, and you could just tell that it had little or no value to them?  That seems to be the kind of thing Jesus is referring to here.  And sadly, the primary thing that Jesus may be talking about here is the value of our souls.  There are many who may deny the existence of the soul, or who do not see the value of a soul that has been washed by the blood and sacrifice of Jesus.  To them, to share the good news of Jesus with them, is nothing more or less than throwing your pearls into the pig pen.

This isn't confined merely to salvation issues, though.  It can go for wisdom and knowledge in this world, as there will always be those who simply do not want to accept or receive such wisdom.  It could be things of value which others don't see as such.  Regardless of what the "pearl" is, there will always be those who find no value in that "pearl".

This seems to demonstrate the importance of getting to know the person before you place your valuable pearl into their hands.  Rather than carelessly casting that valuable pearl away, getting to know the other person, and discovering what is of value to them, helps us know if they will find our pearl valuable or not.  Even in a saying such as this one, Jesus points us to the need to be in relationship with another person, which is a significant part of our life in this world.

Showing Consideration

"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."  Philippians 2:4

Earlier today, I was waiting in line at the post office.  I was the second person in line, behind a lady who was trying to mail a package.  Now, normally I don't mind waiting in line very much.  It's just a fact of life.  But what was bothering me today was that the clerk was trying to help this lady, but she was on her cell phone, chatting away with someone else, and not being very responsive to the clerk.  I could tell that the clerk was trying to get her to pay attention to the package, but this lady simply wasn't catching the hint.

I've seen this happening more and more.  You go to the grocery store, and the same thing happens.  You see an open spot at the gas pump, and someone zips in to take that spot.  I've even seen people parking in handicapped spots without any indication that they are handicapped. 

It seems that, more and more, people simply do not know how to show consideration toward others.  I understand that we all are like this, since we are all part of God's broken, fallen, sinful creation.  We're always going to battle the desire to do what is best for us, even if it comes at the expense of someone else.  And yet, it truly seems that very few people really understand what it means to show consideration toward others.

I really like this verse from Philippians I quoted above.  It means that there are important things in your life, but that each of us also needs to understand that others have important needs, as well.  In the context of the chapter before this one, and in the verses that follow, Paul paints a picture of people who truly work at looking for the good of others in their life.  In doing this, God's people reflect Jesus, doing it, not for our own good, but because it is good for others.

We don't do this as though it builds up some account for ourselves in God's eyes.  The fact is, that is what Jesus did for us in His perfect life, death, and resurrection.  We don't show consideration toward others because it makes us better in God's eyes, but because God's Spirit works in us to cause us to look toward the interests and needs of others.  We will resist and battle against this, but that is also part of the life of one who is claimed by God through Jesus and the cross.

Where can you show consideration toward others in your life?  I challenge you to find three or four of those opportunities today, and make the most of them!

Making Plans, Being Flexible

Tomorrow morning, I am running my first ever full marathon.  That's right.  26.2 miles of running (mostly downhill, as the local race starts up in the mountains and ends in the valley).  I've run a handful of half-marathons, but this will be my first time at a full.

In preparation for this, I have thought out how I plan to approach the race.  I've thought about things like what my pace will be, what I will eat ahead of time, what I will eat and drink during the race, and what to do if I feel the need to walk a little bit.  This is part of preparing for something big like this.

Now, will everything work out like I'm planning?  Probably not.  Weather conditions, my body, and all sorts of other factors may enter in, and cause me to need to be flexible.  That's the thing with a plan.  You make it, and you have something to go by, but you also have to ready in case things don't go like you had planned.  That's just life.  Be ready, but also be ready for things to go differently than you planned.

That same approach to our faith and life seems appropriate, too.  We can plan out how we want to grow in our Christian faith and life, and we can plan out ways to be active in that faith.  But the thing is, life will continue to bring unexpected things up around us.  To stick with what we are planning despite the changes of the world around us is not acting in wisdom.  Rather, recognizing what is changing, and then being flexible in how we deal with the situation, seems much more like the course of wisdom.

I'll let you know tomorrow afternoon how my race went, and whether or not it went according to plan.  Mostly, though, I hope that this entry helps you think about how you plan and prepare for life, both having a plan, and being ready when the unexpected throws your plan off balance.

A few thoughts on personal growth

"Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold."  Proverbs 3:13-14

As I look back on my life to this point, I realize that I truly love to learn.  Many of you may know that I love to read.  I devour books like some people devour television shows or sports events.  If there is one thing that I probably have too much of, it is books. 

And yet, I don't read merely for the fun of it.  I read to learn.  But then, I even find myself taking the next step.  I try out the things that I read.  For example, I'm currently reading a book about communicating and connecting with people.  For me, it's not enough to just know those things, but I actually take one or two points and try them out.  Learning something new is fun.  Learning something, and then seeing it in practice, is even greater.

This, to me, is the difference between knowledge and wisdom.  Knowledge is a matter of simply knowing something.  Wisdom is taking that knowledge, putting it to use, and learning how it applies.  Sadly, I see many people who stop at the learning part.  They are really smart people, but what they know stays locked up in their heads.  They know lots of facts and probably would do well on an exam, but don't put it to practice in life to actually see what it looks like, or how it works.

All of this is not to pat myself on the back for taking the next step.  In fact, the way I see it, knowledge almost seems to demand the next step.  But it also doesn't stop there.  You learn, you try it out and put it into practice, and then you start to learn how it affects situations, or how it applies to different people, or how it works in one situation, but not in another.  That's when wisdom starts to grow.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that the development of wisdom is not an easy process.  It takes learning, practicing, and then learning from the practice all over again.  I'm starting to learn more about these last two steps in my life, and what I have found is that it makes life a truly exciting experience.