What did you Say?

He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him. – Proverbs 18:13

Many people tell others what to do, but true leaders guide people to action. Decision making, intuition, and foresight are all parts of effective leadership. But sometimes eagerness to make quick decisions or bring resolution can cause us to act impulsively or get too bossy. We should try to balance decisiveness with insight to prevent becoming a bossy person. Who likes a bossy person anyway?
The key to listening is to be attentive in the conversation. We might be able to multitask, but we probably cannot multifocus. If we are truly listening, we must be focused on the conversation. Sometimes people listen in order to respond. However, we need to listen to understand. Then we can respond effectively. Listening to the matter at hand not only gives information we need, it also allows us to understand underlying issues that go beyond superficial facts.
We can prevent embarrassing moments for ourselves or others by listening to all the facts as well as feeling before responding. Then we can offer well-thought-out answers and effective decisions. We need to give God room to speak to us while we are listening. Thus, He will give us hidden insight that others cannot provide. If we react too quickly, we might not hear the treasure of God’s word speaking to us. With effective listening, the people around you will appreciate your attentiveness and wisdom while you gain understanding.

My challenge is for us all to listen when others take the time to talk to us about their problems. Remember if they didn’t think a lot of you they wouldn’t have come to you. Don’t disappoint them with a ho-hum attitude.

Trust In God

Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Airplanes and ships do not make sense. Such masses of metal staying in the air or afloat in the sea seems impossible. Yet, millions of people board them every year for business travel and long-awaited vacations. Ants and bees cannot be explained either. Their bodies should not be able to exhibit such strength. But you have witnessed bees buzzing in the air and ants carrying ten times their weight. Sometimes you cannot depend on your own understanding of how or why things work.

This is also true with God; we cannot seem to figure Him out either. The Bible says that God knows the number of hairs on our head. He also hears every prayer that is spoken. How he can give his full attention to each person at the same time is puzzling. Sometimes you just have to trust what the Bible says about God, even if you cannot understand it. My grandfather had this to say about the Christian walk and the faith that accompanied it. “If I am right about the Christian faith, then each person must make a decision for Christ in order to gain Heaven. If I am wrong then I simply die yet even to live as a Christian renders, to me, a good life.”

Let’s all live the good life and be encouraged by the things around us. Knowing a higher power had to create it. Thus, let’s realize our faith is really made simple when we look at the small things in life and realize their feats should not be possible. Therefore, let us depend on God and not our own understanding. Remember we can only see the past and what is in front of us. However, God can see the past, present, and the future. If you believe this then why trust those around you who can only see what you can see. Shouldn’t we trust the One who can see it all and ask Him for direction?

My Soap Box

I peruse Facebook through my wife’s page often to keep up with those around me and mainly to be nosey. Through my actions I have noticed posting regarding national weeks set aside for just about everything under the sun. For example, there is national daughter week, son week, father week, mother week, grandmother week, grandfather week, and so on. But I’ve noticed there’s nothing set aside for God. This bothers me. The Creator of the universe, the Alfa and Omega, the Great Physician, the Father to the fatherless, the Healer, the Savior of the World, the Great I am who is so large He created the whole Universe yet is magnificent enough to become so small He can dwell within man’s heart does not have a week set aside. I feel we are missing the mark. For example, when you are in a restaurant with a guest do you find yourself waiting to see if he/she is going to bow their heads to pray? Or do you ask yourself this question, “If they pray over their food then I will pray over mine.” Really? The God who has given you eternal life, the God who has given you your children, the God who has allowed you to breath over and over and over, the God that allows everything to go exactly right in your body just so you can read this post, the God who mandates the Earth rotate on its axis at just the right angle and maintain its orbit, the God who tells the waves to stop, the God who has prepared a place just for you, and we are afraid to stop for five seconds and honor Him in public. The Bible tells us one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Have you ever wondered how God is going to make that happen? Many believe God is going to make everyone bow and confess. However, I challenge you to find where God has every mandated mankind to do anything. He has always given man the choice to make his own decisions. How then will everyone know to bow and confess before Christ? Remember during the time of Moses when he was getting the Ten Commandments from God and how God would directly speak to His people. However, God became angry with Israel and the people were so afraid they asked Moses to become their liaison between them and God. Thus, the office of Prophet was created. The Israelites could not handle God’s awesome power. He is so big and we are so miniscule that His mere voice alone is overwhelming to us. When Jesus returns He will be so awesome that everyone will realize how insignificant they are and understand who He is. Therefore, the response will be to fall down at His feet and confess Him as Lord. If God is this big and powerful then shouldn’t we have a little more respect for Him? My challenge this week and in weeks to come is for us Christians to respect and honor God in every aspect of our lives. Too often Christians are only Godlike when surrounded by other Christians. We need to be Christians 24/7/365. Remember one day God (not the World) is going to ask us what we have done with His Son Jesus and we will have to give an account for our actions. Therefore, let’s be hot or cold and not lukewarm. If you are in the middle make a choice. Straddling the fence only confuses those around you who are undecided about God. God picked you, if you’ve picked Him ACT LIKE IT!

Family Matters

Remember the old cliché, “You don’t miss a good thing until it’s gone.” I have experienced that this week. My wife has been out of town since Sunday, which left me at home with three boys ranging in age from 8 to 6 months. Hence, I have learned to appreciate and miss the help my wife provides around the house. It is apparent to see why God, in His infinite wisdom, purposed for a man and women to remain together until death. The past few days have taught me to appreciate the value of teamwork. I have a newfound respect for single moms and dads. In some small way, I have a tiny understanding of what single parents go through on a daily basis and how much they must rely on their family for help. Marriage centers on teamwork, which tends to be a constant theme throughout Paul’s writings. Remember how Paul talks about unity and how the body of Christ is to work together just as the physical body does. This is Paul’s way of saying that we need to work together for the common goal of seeing the lost saved and witnessing the saved become like Christ by having love for one another and not malice.

I challenge us all this week to appreciate the small things in life and tell those around you how much you really appreciate them and what they do to make life a little easier. In turn, as Christians, let’s try to get along realizing the goal before us and not making the mistake of thinking anything Christ centered has anything to do with us. In fact it is not about us, but all about Him.

Around the Watercooler

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. – Ephesians 4:29

Everyone has a hub for casual conversation. Whether it is the watercooler, the teachers’ lounge, or the staff break room, there is likely a place where the Monday news can be heard buzzing. You may find a challenge in avoiding the hub of conversation altogether. But you can sound a different voice amid the chatter.

Unwholesome talk covers a lot of ground. You could consider negativity, rumors, gossip, and untruth to be unwholesome. You may think you have that covered, since you do not involve yourself in such destructive communication. But wait. When you read beyond the warning of what not to do, you are presented with a challenge. It is not enough to use self-control only to withhold unsavory conversation. Silence alone is not the self-control needed in the close areas of your life. You fight against a negative with a positive. Engage yourself in the building up of others.

The challenge presented to you here is to encourage others according to their needs. Ignoring others is not an option. You are to help them by encouraging them in the areas that they need it. You are to benefit others with your words. Your voice may be a lone voice in a cloud of conversation. But your words can bring hope and inspiration to others. My wife and I encountered such a person at the last church we attended. He was an older pastor who had long retired and devoted his life to the uplifting of others. He always had something good and encouraging to say to those around him. He never allowed the conversation to focus on himself. In turn, everyone wanted to talk to him and looked forward to his attention.

My challenge for us is to join a conversation we would normally avoid. Infuse positive and encouraging comments in the dialogue. Meet the challenge of meeting the needs of others. Become an encourager and see what a difference positive reinforcement has regarding conversational influence.

Keep Going

"I remind you to keep using the gift God gave you...let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire." (2 Timothy 1:6)
Good Boy Scouts know how to start fires. Although there are reports of using such strange items as a soda can or a chocolate bar, there are several common elements required to ignite any fire. You need something to create a spark, material to use as tinder to turn the spark into a flame, and kindling to generate a fire from the initial flame. Igniting passion in yourself and other is much the same as starting a fire. God gave you what you need for the spark. He created you with gifts found in your talents, skills, and abilities. Your responsibility is to take that spark and turn it into a flame. You can find the tinder of opportunities for using your gifts all around you. But using your gifts once in a lifetime or once in a while is not enough to maintain a fire. The flame must be continually kindled to keep the fire going. The more you put gifts to work, the more you feed the flame within you. Passion is that fire within. It is that burning desire to make a difference in the world around you. Passion can be more than a temporary excitement. As you fan the flame of the God-given spark within you, you can maintain zeal to achieve great accomplishments in life.

I challenge each of us to take our talents and put them to daily use for the advancement of God's Kingdom that He might receive the honor and glory from our every act.

The Game of Life

My grandmother ran across this and wanted me to share it with everyone. The following was written by my grandfather.
Looking at the person's life from a baseball game perspective -

1st The Field:
1st Base: Salvation (Sin, Guilt, Repentance, and Confession)
2nd Base: Committment
3rd Base: Church Membership
HomeBase: Heaven

2nd Game Rules:
A: You must come to bat before you can hit the ball
B: You only have so many chances to hit the ball
C: After the ball is hit, all bases must be touched in order to reach home

I thought this was pretty cool and something we could all live by. As simple as this analogy sounds, it is very true. Today examine your live and see what, if any, base you're on. If your on HomeBase, well that would be kinda freaky.