I've been around children my entire life and always appreciate the simple wisdom they can offer at times. I enjoy watching Bill Cosby interview little kids and reading books that showcase letters to God written by youngsters. My love of children has always given me an appreciation for the idea of having faith like a child.
Jesus encourages us to have faith like a child. In fact, he even goes as far to say that without it, we won't enter the kingdom of God. In Mark 10:15 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." He also says in Matthew 18:3, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Certainly Jesus isn't telling us to act like children, but to have faith like a child.
I want to share a few things I've learned from my 2 1/2 year old son Isaiah about having faith like a child. I've spent over a decade committed to understanding the marvelous wonders of our Creator and Savior. Most of that time has postured me as a learner and my little guy has been teaching me about my faith, both directly and indirectly, since he was born. This is what faith like a child looks like:
Yes Jesus
We have a book called Jesus Loves Me. Actually, it's simply the song with the same title written in a book with colorful pictures. As a family, we sing the song, too. The chorus goes, "Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. For the Bible tells me so." After reading the book to Isaiah two or three times, he conveniently renamed Him "Yes Jesus." I would show him a picture of Jesus and ask him who it was and he would say, "that's Yes Jesus." I thought it was cute. I also thought it was extremely profound. Of course a little child would call him "Yes Jesus." What else could he say? If Jesus is our Lord, shouldn't we always approach him by saying yes? As in, whatever you say or ask, my answer is yes. It's always yes and it always will be. Isn't that really recognizing him as Lord? We can't say "no, Lord" because that would negate the Lord part, right? Every time we come before God, without hesitation, we should be saying yes. Yes to His will. Yes to His plan. Yes to His life. Yes Jesus.
Thank you, please
Liz and I have been discussing the importance of teaching our kids manners since we got married. We desire to raise up children who are respectful and thankful, so it would come as no surprise that we have stressed the words "please" and "thank you." In fact, many adults have mentioned how polite Isaiah is. They can't believe he minds his manners so well. He is good at remembering to say the words and I'm pretty sure he knows the meaning (he certainly knows the value), but sometimes he gets mixed up on when to use them. Sometimes he says "thank you" when he should be saying "please" and the other way around. The interesting thing is that I think he understands that thank you should actually come before please. As in, we should first recognize the gifts we have before we ask for anything else. Jesus tells us the way to pray is by first giving thanks. After giving thanks our minds and hearts are realigned so that our pleases make sense. Steven Furtick wrote, "If you thank God for everything before you ask him for anything, it makes you realize you deserve nothing." I'm not about to show Isaiah Barney's "Please and Thank You Song." Faith like a child understands it's thank you before please.
What is God?
We were in the car on the way to Target and Isaiah said, "Daddy, what is God?" The way he asked it actually resonated in my soul. He sounded so serious and he said "what" instead of "who." As a noun, the word what can be defined as the true nature or identity of something. Who is a pronoun and (of a person) asks of what character, origin, position, importance, etc. I found it to be a very specific distinction that I had never thought of myself. Who you say God is might be the most important question you'll ever have to answer (see Mark 8:29-30 or Matthew 16:15-16), but what is God might be an equally important question. What is God? I had to think about it before I answered. I replied by saying God is love (1 John 4:8). Wow, what an opportunity to set the record straight and set my son up for a life that reflects who and what God is all about. What? Love. Who? The Christ.
Confess and be forgiven
Yesterday was the first time I had to actually "discipline" Isaiah. He wound-up and smacked Micaiah in the face. It was pretty hard, too. I was right there when it happened and attempted to scold him, but he wound up and smacked me in the face, too. I didn't really know what to do. I'll add, my parents were also there to witness it. I picked up Isaiah and quickly took him to his bedroom. He was kicking and swinging the entire way. We laid on his bed and I calmed him down and told him he cannot hit Micaiah. Ever. We seemed to have a nice little understanding between us so we went back downstairs. When we entered the living room, my dad started to ask Isaiah a question and he boldly interrupted and said, "I have to say something to Micaiah." He walked to the kitchen and said, "Micaiah, I love you. I'm sorry." My response was simple: wow! He needed to apologize and he wasn't going to let anyone get in his way. I love the picture this painted for me. I've made mistakes and often times toiled and delayed my apology for whatever reason (inconvenient, uncomfortable, timing, etc.). Isaiah wasn't distracted. He needed to confess he was wrong and ask for forgiveness. This demonstration of faith like a child was extremely convicting and humbling. How many times do I blow it and waver in my confession and/or apology to God? A lot. If we confess, God will forgive. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
More madness from the morning show
I don't want to sound as if I'm picking on Christian radio morning shows, however, I heard something else this morning that helps me identify with what others see when they look at Christians. The hosts were discussing alternative methods that can be used as mosquito repellent. It's a suitable topic on a Twin Cities radio station. One of the hosts explained how Listerine can be used to keep the nasty bug away. Simply spray it on the wood and door knobs in the area you desire to keep them from. The other host didn't seem convinced. She went on to explain how well it works and then said she had never actually done it before. Really? She gave me the impression that she swore by it. I thought, are you going to give testimony to something you've never experienced?
In the world of mosquito repellent, I guess it's alright to take someones word on a remedy they haven't tried. What do you have to lose, right? But when it comes to eternity...
I hear Christians on a regular basis giving testimony to God's Word when they haven't even read it for themselves. I've been around individuals who encourage others to trust God, but haven't done so for themselves. People telling others about the power of prayer without having been on their knees before the living God. Telling people about forgiveness while holding on to bitterness that has haunted them for years. How God can change someones life, but living as if God isn't even a part of their own. Preaching to others how they need Jesus and living in a way that doesn't demonstrate a need for Christ at all.
Those who proclaim Christ as their Savior are under a microscope. And they're accountable to a Holy God. Personally, I'm not going to give testimony to anything I haven't yet experienced for myself. I don't in everyday life and I'm certainly not going to from an eternal perspective. I've experienced the grace and love of God and it's my responsibility to tell the world about it, however, I'm not in a position to give testimony about things I haven't experienced. How can you speak on behalf of something that you haven't first experienced for yourself?
People who are seeking God are looking for something specific from Christ followers and it can be summarized in one word: REAL. They want to see authenticity. If someone is speaking about topic, they want for them to have experienced it.
Often times those who represent Christ publicly believe God's Word in their minds and not in their hearts. Simply believing God intellectually doesn't leave much room to experience God. Experiencing God is what the Bible is about. It's not about fulfilling a set guidelines or meeting expectations of others. God is not concerned about your image. He's concerned about your heart. Have you experienced God?
In the world of mosquito repellent, I guess it's alright to take someones word on a remedy they haven't tried. What do you have to lose, right? But when it comes to eternity...
I hear Christians on a regular basis giving testimony to God's Word when they haven't even read it for themselves. I've been around individuals who encourage others to trust God, but haven't done so for themselves. People telling others about the power of prayer without having been on their knees before the living God. Telling people about forgiveness while holding on to bitterness that has haunted them for years. How God can change someones life, but living as if God isn't even a part of their own. Preaching to others how they need Jesus and living in a way that doesn't demonstrate a need for Christ at all.
Those who proclaim Christ as their Savior are under a microscope. And they're accountable to a Holy God. Personally, I'm not going to give testimony to anything I haven't yet experienced for myself. I don't in everyday life and I'm certainly not going to from an eternal perspective. I've experienced the grace and love of God and it's my responsibility to tell the world about it, however, I'm not in a position to give testimony about things I haven't experienced. How can you speak on behalf of something that you haven't first experienced for yourself?
People who are seeking God are looking for something specific from Christ followers and it can be summarized in one word: REAL. They want to see authenticity. If someone is speaking about topic, they want for them to have experienced it.
Often times those who represent Christ publicly believe God's Word in their minds and not in their hearts. Simply believing God intellectually doesn't leave much room to experience God. Experiencing God is what the Bible is about. It's not about fulfilling a set guidelines or meeting expectations of others. God is not concerned about your image. He's concerned about your heart. Have you experienced God?
“Somehow Christianity has become a nonmystical religion. It’s about a reasonable faith. If we believe the right things, then we are orthodox. Frankly whether we ever actually connect to God or experience His undeniable presence has become incidental, if not irrelevant. We have become believers rather than experiencers. To know God in Scriptures always went beyond information to intimacy. We may find ourselves uncomfortable with this reality, but the faith of the Scriptures is a mystical faith. It leads us beyond the material world into an invisible reality. We become connected to the God of eternity. Who you are at the core is spirit. God is Spirit. To walk with God is to journey in the spiritual realm. ”
- Erwin McManus, Barbarian Way
Monday, July 18, 2011
Women's sports
Japan winning the World Cup uplifted the entire nation, so we're told. And I believe it. In other countries, women's sports have the possibility to make a nation proud. Unfortunately, I don't see the same attitude here in the United States.
When the US women won the World Cup in 1999, female participation in youth soccer spiked. There was a slight unification process that took place, however, I was the only individual in my dorm room who actually saw Brandy Chastain tear off her shirt in excitement after the winning penalty kick. Others watched the highlights. This year, I'm afraid it was much of the same.
Hope Solo and Abby Wambach might be household names this week, but are they going to stand the test of time and be remembered? I'm willing to bet that more people know Landon Donovan's name this week than the two most popular athletes on the women's team. Why? Because Americans don't care about women's sports. The women's team was the lead story on Sports Center today, but the most memorable story was Landon Donovan's Make A Wish feature. It was touching and I appreciate it, but play that story tomorrow and let the women have their day.
I watched many games on network television last year during the men's World Cup. The women's World Cup final, which included the United States, could only be seen on ESPN (cable). Does this make sense? Probably since viewer ratings determine what programs are aired. Are the networks telling us that a Sunday afternoon infomercial is more important than the championship final of the World Cup? I guess they are.
Here's my conclusion: as a nation, we still believe women are inferior to men. How does that taste? I'm not suggesting that ABC should give the women a time slot if it's detrimental to their network because of ratings. I am, however, suggesting everyone reading this blog right now does a gut check and asks themselves why they weren't interested in this wonderful event? Is it because you had other things going on? You don't like soccer? Never mind that you watched the men last summer. Or do you think women's soccer cannot provide the entertainment you seek because they're women? Seriously, what's the deal? In the depths of your heart, do you respect women?
I started coaching women 7 years ago today. I didn't want to do it and it happened by accident. In hindsight, I can say that it was all because I didn't believe women's sports were "as important" as men's sports. There's no way I could have admitted that at the time, but after years of working with women, it's plain for me to see. When I ask someone to entertain the idea of women's wrestling and they don't, I can see that beneath the surface they're in the same place I was.
On a side note, I would add that women's sports capture the true intent of "sport" much more then men's sports do. I was watching the game with two wrestling fans and they noticed that the women were technically very sound and seemed to fake injuries much less than the men do. I stepped up and asked them when they were going to start coaching women's wrestling because women get it. They play sports for all the right reasons. Women's sports are still "pure." Women don't fake injuries because it's not in the spirit of the game. They play sports because they love sport. They're not playing for an endorsement (evidence by Solo declining endorsement offers this week), awards, honors, glory or any other external motivating factor. They just love to play. Period.
I see this in the wrestling world, too. I commented on a similar topic after last year's poor results by the men at the world championships. The wrestling community thought the sky was falling down despite the bright spot on the women's side. The women's program has been doing it the right way. They're on the right path leading into 2012. Why doesn't the male side stop to see this? Because they don't respect women. You don't hear our female wrestlers crying for more money or more attention. They just want the opportunity to play. And by the way, they're winning medals and the men aren't.
I don't know if I'm venting or trying to make a point here. I just can't help but notice how the Japanese women have successfully uplifted an entire nation and I'm sadden by the realization that we won't allow for women to uplift our nation. There's something inside us, as a country, that is keeping this from happening. What is it? In 2011 can we honestly say that we respect women? I sure hope it's something else, but I'm afraid it's not. I'm entrenched in the women's sports culture and see the uphill battles just to be recognized as legitimate. Well, women are a legitimate part of humanity and it's time for people to get past their insecurities and embrace this notion. Even though we shouldn't even need to discuss this, I'll be the one to initiate the conversation.
When the US women won the World Cup in 1999, female participation in youth soccer spiked. There was a slight unification process that took place, however, I was the only individual in my dorm room who actually saw Brandy Chastain tear off her shirt in excitement after the winning penalty kick. Others watched the highlights. This year, I'm afraid it was much of the same.
Hope Solo and Abby Wambach might be household names this week, but are they going to stand the test of time and be remembered? I'm willing to bet that more people know Landon Donovan's name this week than the two most popular athletes on the women's team. Why? Because Americans don't care about women's sports. The women's team was the lead story on Sports Center today, but the most memorable story was Landon Donovan's Make A Wish feature. It was touching and I appreciate it, but play that story tomorrow and let the women have their day.
I watched many games on network television last year during the men's World Cup. The women's World Cup final, which included the United States, could only be seen on ESPN (cable). Does this make sense? Probably since viewer ratings determine what programs are aired. Are the networks telling us that a Sunday afternoon infomercial is more important than the championship final of the World Cup? I guess they are.
Here's my conclusion: as a nation, we still believe women are inferior to men. How does that taste? I'm not suggesting that ABC should give the women a time slot if it's detrimental to their network because of ratings. I am, however, suggesting everyone reading this blog right now does a gut check and asks themselves why they weren't interested in this wonderful event? Is it because you had other things going on? You don't like soccer? Never mind that you watched the men last summer. Or do you think women's soccer cannot provide the entertainment you seek because they're women? Seriously, what's the deal? In the depths of your heart, do you respect women?
I started coaching women 7 years ago today. I didn't want to do it and it happened by accident. In hindsight, I can say that it was all because I didn't believe women's sports were "as important" as men's sports. There's no way I could have admitted that at the time, but after years of working with women, it's plain for me to see. When I ask someone to entertain the idea of women's wrestling and they don't, I can see that beneath the surface they're in the same place I was.
On a side note, I would add that women's sports capture the true intent of "sport" much more then men's sports do. I was watching the game with two wrestling fans and they noticed that the women were technically very sound and seemed to fake injuries much less than the men do. I stepped up and asked them when they were going to start coaching women's wrestling because women get it. They play sports for all the right reasons. Women's sports are still "pure." Women don't fake injuries because it's not in the spirit of the game. They play sports because they love sport. They're not playing for an endorsement (evidence by Solo declining endorsement offers this week), awards, honors, glory or any other external motivating factor. They just love to play. Period.
I see this in the wrestling world, too. I commented on a similar topic after last year's poor results by the men at the world championships. The wrestling community thought the sky was falling down despite the bright spot on the women's side. The women's program has been doing it the right way. They're on the right path leading into 2012. Why doesn't the male side stop to see this? Because they don't respect women. You don't hear our female wrestlers crying for more money or more attention. They just want the opportunity to play. And by the way, they're winning medals and the men aren't.
I don't know if I'm venting or trying to make a point here. I just can't help but notice how the Japanese women have successfully uplifted an entire nation and I'm sadden by the realization that we won't allow for women to uplift our nation. There's something inside us, as a country, that is keeping this from happening. What is it? In 2011 can we honestly say that we respect women? I sure hope it's something else, but I'm afraid it's not. I'm entrenched in the women's sports culture and see the uphill battles just to be recognized as legitimate. Well, women are a legitimate part of humanity and it's time for people to get past their insecurities and embrace this notion. Even though we shouldn't even need to discuss this, I'll be the one to initiate the conversation.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Kids get it, parents don't
As part of my mission in youth sports, I aim to do what kids need instead of what parents want. This has been a very different approach to coaching youth sports. I stay this course no matter how many parents push back and ask for more. Additionally, I try to vocally lead the charge to do what's right with youth athletes in the wrestling community by writing, speaking and sharing ideas through many technological outlets because there is a lot of wrong taking place.
I initiated my own little experiment at a youth camp yesterday that is worth mentioning. The community that brought me in to do a camp had seen my philosophy on full display on YouTube and on our website, so they knew what they were getting. They wanted more of what is right in youth wrestling and less of what is wrong. They had been infiltrated with parents that had unhealthy perspectives and unrealistic expectations. I confronted those issues.
We engaged in a conversation at the end of camp that included 3rd-6th graders and a few parents. I do a little speech at the end of every camp and clinic and this time it was interactive and required a little audience participation. We talked about the three dimensions of the Total Athlete - body, mind and soul. We worked on the physical (body) aspect for two days, but hadn't talked about the other two. I asked a few questions to get them thinking. Even the 3rd graders were tracking with me. We talked about motivation, focus, desire, purpose and other big topics that get avoided.
Why do you do what you do? This is a question I ask kids about everything they do. It's a question of purpose and motivation. Why wrestling? Why sports? The kids answered with things such as, because they enjoyed the sport, they had fun, they love being active, etc. All were great answers. None of them included competition or winning and losing. Then I went deeper and asked them what they'd like to accomplish and what character traits they desire to gain through wrestling. The kids didn't understand what character was, which was interesting because some people tell me that's why they put their child in sports. I told them they could give me a one word answer about what they'd like to get out of wrestling. The answers blew my mind. They said respect, sportsmanship and humility! The 3rd graders got it! I asked the parents the same question and they answered with big words like commitment, dedication, teamwork, perseverance, etc. I respect these answers and believe those are also important character traits, but every one of the answers given by the parents leave more to be desired and can be used for very bad things. Some of the most committed and dedicated people in history have been some of worse in humanity (think Hitler, Bin Laden, etc. - they were extremely committed and dedicated). The traits the kids offered make the world a better a place. Genuine respect and humility can't be misused. Interesting, huh? The kids get it, but the parents don't.
The scary thing about youth sports is that we are teaching character, but we're not teaching what to do with it. Commitment and dedication alone aren't enough. Remember what Peter Parker's uncle told him? With great power comes great responsibility. This has never been more true in youth sports than today. Coaches and parents have great responsibility to teach these kids how to use these character traits to positively impact the world. These kids must learn the responsibility that comes with these "super powers," or character traits.
We can't let these children down. They need to be held to a high standard and they already know what it is. They're in it for the right reasons. Often times, Mom and Dad aren't. This is why we must do what the kids needs, not what the parents want.
I initiated my own little experiment at a youth camp yesterday that is worth mentioning. The community that brought me in to do a camp had seen my philosophy on full display on YouTube and on our website, so they knew what they were getting. They wanted more of what is right in youth wrestling and less of what is wrong. They had been infiltrated with parents that had unhealthy perspectives and unrealistic expectations. I confronted those issues.
We engaged in a conversation at the end of camp that included 3rd-6th graders and a few parents. I do a little speech at the end of every camp and clinic and this time it was interactive and required a little audience participation. We talked about the three dimensions of the Total Athlete - body, mind and soul. We worked on the physical (body) aspect for two days, but hadn't talked about the other two. I asked a few questions to get them thinking. Even the 3rd graders were tracking with me. We talked about motivation, focus, desire, purpose and other big topics that get avoided.
Why do you do what you do? This is a question I ask kids about everything they do. It's a question of purpose and motivation. Why wrestling? Why sports? The kids answered with things such as, because they enjoyed the sport, they had fun, they love being active, etc. All were great answers. None of them included competition or winning and losing. Then I went deeper and asked them what they'd like to accomplish and what character traits they desire to gain through wrestling. The kids didn't understand what character was, which was interesting because some people tell me that's why they put their child in sports. I told them they could give me a one word answer about what they'd like to get out of wrestling. The answers blew my mind. They said respect, sportsmanship and humility! The 3rd graders got it! I asked the parents the same question and they answered with big words like commitment, dedication, teamwork, perseverance, etc. I respect these answers and believe those are also important character traits, but every one of the answers given by the parents leave more to be desired and can be used for very bad things. Some of the most committed and dedicated people in history have been some of worse in humanity (think Hitler, Bin Laden, etc. - they were extremely committed and dedicated). The traits the kids offered make the world a better a place. Genuine respect and humility can't be misused. Interesting, huh? The kids get it, but the parents don't.
The scary thing about youth sports is that we are teaching character, but we're not teaching what to do with it. Commitment and dedication alone aren't enough. Remember what Peter Parker's uncle told him? With great power comes great responsibility. This has never been more true in youth sports than today. Coaches and parents have great responsibility to teach these kids how to use these character traits to positively impact the world. These kids must learn the responsibility that comes with these "super powers," or character traits.
We can't let these children down. They need to be held to a high standard and they already know what it is. They're in it for the right reasons. Often times, Mom and Dad aren't. This is why we must do what the kids needs, not what the parents want.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Morning show mayhem
I listened to the KQ Morning Show when I was in high school. Tommy B and the crew could be described best as rude and crude. Now that I'm more interested in pursuing holiness, I've turned the dial to Christian radio and accidentally catch their version of a morning show every now and then.
I appreciate the attempt to provide the Christian community with a wholesome alternative to what is on other stations. I'm not into the cheesiness of most of the content, but I'm on board with the mission. After all, one man's "cheese" can be another man's treasure. So I don't mind that the hosts often times appear as if they're not on the same planet and or even in the same universe. They're called to serve God and I believe they're doing the best they know how even if it's light years behind on the "cool level." However, as a Christ follower, I have caught a few topics and jokes that strike a chord inside my soul and stir up a holy anger. This morning was one of those times.
I listened to the lady explain how she had a very difficult time ending a relationship that had been destructive. I was all ears because I'm engaged in conversations like this with many others on a regular basis. She went on to say that she had been involved in a relationship that was unhealthy because she was seeking validation and approval from the other. It became almost abusive. I was eager to hear how she handled it because I was taking mental notes for the next encounter with one specific athlete of mine. Then, her punch line was that she broke-up with her scale this morning. The other dude laughed and people called the station and chimed in with their input. All of it was less than appropriate and gave me the feeling that they were actually poking fun at two strongholds that bind many individuals I work with. They belittled the legitimate struggle of body image and how weight control can tie into it. Also, they take a shot at those who are stuck in destructive relationships that they need to get out of immediately.
"I have a strong addiction that I cannot overcome on my own and I need God's power to help me...I'm addicted to chocolate."
"I need God's help to end a toxic relationship...with my scale."
Statements like these can most aptly be described as heartless. They don't take into account the fact that there are individuals whose struggles are severe and deadly. Of course, the scale can be a deadly relationship and I've seen enough Dr. Phil episodes to know that addictions to food can also be deadly, but come on radio show host, don't make fun of them. Her demeanor and tone plainly demonstrated that these weren't life and death situations for her. Truly heartless.
Why is it that Christians can come across as the most uncaring, unsympathetic, unloving and heartless people on the planet? As a people, do we just not get it? Are we that far away from reality that we can't be real and understand real people and real struggles? If I'm making my assessment based on radio, maybe we are. This lady clearly isn't talking about real struggles. The sad and unfortunate part of it all is sometimes this is the only glimpse that people get of Jesus. They see and hear people who aren't real and don't understand what real people face moment by moment. In my opinion, this isn't good at all. My Jesus doesn't belittle struggles and isn't afraid to talk about issues that seem too far out of bounds for safe Christian circles.
Let's stop the phony baloney Christian jokes as if we don't understand the world. We are the salt of the earth! People should see our lives (or listen to our radio stations) and see that God is good! Christian radio should bring non-Christians to a place of praise for our Father in Heaven. I think that was sorely missed this morning.
I appreciate the attempt to provide the Christian community with a wholesome alternative to what is on other stations. I'm not into the cheesiness of most of the content, but I'm on board with the mission. After all, one man's "cheese" can be another man's treasure. So I don't mind that the hosts often times appear as if they're not on the same planet and or even in the same universe. They're called to serve God and I believe they're doing the best they know how even if it's light years behind on the "cool level." However, as a Christ follower, I have caught a few topics and jokes that strike a chord inside my soul and stir up a holy anger. This morning was one of those times.
I listened to the lady explain how she had a very difficult time ending a relationship that had been destructive. I was all ears because I'm engaged in conversations like this with many others on a regular basis. She went on to say that she had been involved in a relationship that was unhealthy because she was seeking validation and approval from the other. It became almost abusive. I was eager to hear how she handled it because I was taking mental notes for the next encounter with one specific athlete of mine. Then, her punch line was that she broke-up with her scale this morning. The other dude laughed and people called the station and chimed in with their input. All of it was less than appropriate and gave me the feeling that they were actually poking fun at two strongholds that bind many individuals I work with. They belittled the legitimate struggle of body image and how weight control can tie into it. Also, they take a shot at those who are stuck in destructive relationships that they need to get out of immediately.
"I have a strong addiction that I cannot overcome on my own and I need God's power to help me...I'm addicted to chocolate."
"I need God's help to end a toxic relationship...with my scale."
Statements like these can most aptly be described as heartless. They don't take into account the fact that there are individuals whose struggles are severe and deadly. Of course, the scale can be a deadly relationship and I've seen enough Dr. Phil episodes to know that addictions to food can also be deadly, but come on radio show host, don't make fun of them. Her demeanor and tone plainly demonstrated that these weren't life and death situations for her. Truly heartless.
Why is it that Christians can come across as the most uncaring, unsympathetic, unloving and heartless people on the planet? As a people, do we just not get it? Are we that far away from reality that we can't be real and understand real people and real struggles? If I'm making my assessment based on radio, maybe we are. This lady clearly isn't talking about real struggles. The sad and unfortunate part of it all is sometimes this is the only glimpse that people get of Jesus. They see and hear people who aren't real and don't understand what real people face moment by moment. In my opinion, this isn't good at all. My Jesus doesn't belittle struggles and isn't afraid to talk about issues that seem too far out of bounds for safe Christian circles.
Let's stop the phony baloney Christian jokes as if we don't understand the world. We are the salt of the earth! People should see our lives (or listen to our radio stations) and see that God is good! Christian radio should bring non-Christians to a place of praise for our Father in Heaven. I think that was sorely missed this morning.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:13-16
Monday, July 11, 2011
Are you really blessed by God?
What are you doing right now that requires you to fully rely on God?
I was in my car early this morning and was spending some time being quiet. My life can become pretty noisy with a business, children and other things. I have to make time to be silent before God. Things around me can get so loud that I have difficulty hearing Him in my life, so I have to look for unique opportunities or be very intentional about finding time to do so.
I started thinking about how many of us claim to live a life in Christ and are quick to give Him credit for the blessings in our lives, but how many of us are actually doing things that force us to fully rely on God? How many of us are actually living the life we're claiming is the life abundant?
I consider myself a high-achiever, a self-starter and internally motivated. Those are ingredients that lead to success in many situations. In Christian circles, we try to sound super spiritual by saying that we're "blessed." But are we really trusting God to bless us or are we trusting ourselves and embracing an illusion of feeling blessed?
I don't want to minimize God being involved in the "little things" because I believe He is. However, I also don't want to shrink Him to my understanding and claim that everything that is taking place is an answer to prayer or a blessing. I think that kind of language becomes misleading and disingenuous. Seriously, is praying to God asking for a good deal on a car or a house respecting His power and majesty? Is getting hired an answer to prayer? Or could it be that you nailed the interview? Of course I believe that God has super-intended everything to work together intricately throughout the entire universe, but come on, did YOU get the job or did God supernaturally provide it for you? Do you get some kind of special advantage because you attend a traditional American church?
I see a lot of Christians talk about their active prayer life and are quick to give props to God for answering them because of all the good things in their life (but not the bad things, of course...they pray to get out of those things). Is that how prayer is supposed to work? The Bible is clear that we are to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but I also believe we are to take responsibility for our lives. Are you taking time to listen to God or are you just telling him more of your ideas and problems? Does your prayer life look more like a wish list than it does a conversation with the Creator of the Universe? Are you doing more asking or more serving? Is it about you or about God? I think it's time to stop praying if that's what prayer is. Seriously, stop. And listen.
As I listened to God this morning, I sensed Him ask me what I am doing in my life that requires me to fully depend on Him? Would my life look any different right now without God in it? It's a scary evaluation, isn't it. I've been blessed (yes, blessed is used in the correct context here) to have been involved in the lives of many individuals who have crossed the line of faith; who were far from God and now experience a relationship with Him. You know what, though? I'm pretty persuasive. I'm a good talker and know how to get to the heart of people. So, is it me saving people or is it God? I'm not arrogant enough to take the credit, however, am I sharing my life the way God wants me to or am I doing it the way I want to? These are difficult questions to wrestle with and you most certainly won't find them being asked or answered in most churches today because often times they haven't made room for God, either.
The lead character in the story is God, not you. I think it's time to hear what He has to say instead of telling Him what you think. In doing so, will you find that you're living your life as a "Christian" completely free from God? Or are you fully relying on Him each and every moment? If no one has told you this yet, let me be the first: His plan is more important and sure than yours is.
Reality check:
In Matthew 5:3-12, Jesus says these are the ones who are blessed: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who thirst and hunger for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those persecuted for righteousness' sake. This is a stark contrast to the spiritually obese Christians in America who claim to be "blessed." Sorry if the Truth is offensive.
I was in my car early this morning and was spending some time being quiet. My life can become pretty noisy with a business, children and other things. I have to make time to be silent before God. Things around me can get so loud that I have difficulty hearing Him in my life, so I have to look for unique opportunities or be very intentional about finding time to do so.
I started thinking about how many of us claim to live a life in Christ and are quick to give Him credit for the blessings in our lives, but how many of us are actually doing things that force us to fully rely on God? How many of us are actually living the life we're claiming is the life abundant?
I consider myself a high-achiever, a self-starter and internally motivated. Those are ingredients that lead to success in many situations. In Christian circles, we try to sound super spiritual by saying that we're "blessed." But are we really trusting God to bless us or are we trusting ourselves and embracing an illusion of feeling blessed?
I don't want to minimize God being involved in the "little things" because I believe He is. However, I also don't want to shrink Him to my understanding and claim that everything that is taking place is an answer to prayer or a blessing. I think that kind of language becomes misleading and disingenuous. Seriously, is praying to God asking for a good deal on a car or a house respecting His power and majesty? Is getting hired an answer to prayer? Or could it be that you nailed the interview? Of course I believe that God has super-intended everything to work together intricately throughout the entire universe, but come on, did YOU get the job or did God supernaturally provide it for you? Do you get some kind of special advantage because you attend a traditional American church?
I see a lot of Christians talk about their active prayer life and are quick to give props to God for answering them because of all the good things in their life (but not the bad things, of course...they pray to get out of those things). Is that how prayer is supposed to work? The Bible is clear that we are to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but I also believe we are to take responsibility for our lives. Are you taking time to listen to God or are you just telling him more of your ideas and problems? Does your prayer life look more like a wish list than it does a conversation with the Creator of the Universe? Are you doing more asking or more serving? Is it about you or about God? I think it's time to stop praying if that's what prayer is. Seriously, stop. And listen.
As I listened to God this morning, I sensed Him ask me what I am doing in my life that requires me to fully depend on Him? Would my life look any different right now without God in it? It's a scary evaluation, isn't it. I've been blessed (yes, blessed is used in the correct context here) to have been involved in the lives of many individuals who have crossed the line of faith; who were far from God and now experience a relationship with Him. You know what, though? I'm pretty persuasive. I'm a good talker and know how to get to the heart of people. So, is it me saving people or is it God? I'm not arrogant enough to take the credit, however, am I sharing my life the way God wants me to or am I doing it the way I want to? These are difficult questions to wrestle with and you most certainly won't find them being asked or answered in most churches today because often times they haven't made room for God, either.
The lead character in the story is God, not you. I think it's time to hear what He has to say instead of telling Him what you think. In doing so, will you find that you're living your life as a "Christian" completely free from God? Or are you fully relying on Him each and every moment? If no one has told you this yet, let me be the first: His plan is more important and sure than yours is.
Reality check:
In Matthew 5:3-12, Jesus says these are the ones who are blessed: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who thirst and hunger for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those persecuted for righteousness' sake. This is a stark contrast to the spiritually obese Christians in America who claim to be "blessed." Sorry if the Truth is offensive.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Adolescence
If you're interested in 20 minutes impacting the rest of your life, I suggest you watch this clip from Mark Driscoll - Adolescence: Boys Who Can Shave.
I believe God has called me to run Victory School of Wrestling for a few very obvious reasons, but none more obvious than to help teenagers grow into the MEN (and occasionally, the women) they are created to be. I believe in the potential inside each young man in this generation. Indeed, there is hardcore pressure on all sides for them to conform to the ways of the world like never before. Even still, I believe each one of them is created in the image of God to do something great with their lives. It is possible for a teenager to reverse engineer his life and live for something much greater.
We watched this video on adolescence yesterday as a group and I felt compelled to share my story with these impressionable young men. I was engaged at 22 years old and married at 23. During the dating process, Liz and I made some very serious decisions about how we were going to handle being a couple. In Madison, we were very counter-cultural. We made commitments while thinking logically, before we were in moments of temptation when emotions could have taken control of the decision making process. I'm not going to lie, remaining pure was difficult considering many of my roommates seemed to be enjoying life because they on the opposite side of the spectrum. Even with strong convictions and a lifestyle that reflected my faith, they still put pressure on me to compromise my standards for immediate satisfaction. Liz and I were married in 2003 and our relationship has grown each and every day.
Fast forward to present day. Liz and I celebrated our 8-year anniversary last week, we have two wonderful children, a fantastic house, a life-changing business and many more responsibilities that we're extremely grateful for. The irony is that these friends of mine (and I still do consider them friends, by the way) told me that I was too young to get married. By today's standards, I was. However, four of my dearest friends were quick to tell me to hold on to my youth because I'm only young once. That might be true, but it's also true that you only live once. These four are all in their 30's and remain single. Only one of them is a homeowner and only two have steady, full-time jobs. They produced very little during their 20's that made an impact. I wonder what they see when they look at my life today.
See, here's the deal: you are only young once and I believe we do need to cherish our high school and college years. There is little to no responsibility during those years. BUT, responsibility is not something that should be avoided as if it's a bad thing. It's what separates the men from the boys. Accept responsibility! Be a contributor instead of a consumer. Think long-term, not short-term.
In my 20's I was dead set against owning a mini-van. I was afraid it would cramp my style, make me look out-dated and take away my zest for life. Honestly, Liz and I fought the idea for months before we both decided it was the best option for our family. I can say without hesitation that my mom was right. Mini-vans are great. Not only have the automatic sliding doors been awesome, but what it's done for my manhood has been unrivaled in the past 5 years. It was almost like God hit me between the eyes and said, "Kevin, you idiot" (yes, God can call people idiots) "driving a mini-van is the manliest thing you can do. Your family comes before your image. Embracing your role as a father is far more manly than looking good in something else, but you know what's more? You look better in a mini-van than you could in anything else no matter what others are saying." I think He's right. Duh, of course He is.
The funny thing is, I heard similar jeers from these friends of mine about driving a mini-van. They thought, how could I drive a mini-van? Well, it's probably because I'm a man. Maybe they haven't crossed that line into manhood yet.
I believe God has called me to run Victory School of Wrestling for a few very obvious reasons, but none more obvious than to help teenagers grow into the MEN (and occasionally, the women) they are created to be. I believe in the potential inside each young man in this generation. Indeed, there is hardcore pressure on all sides for them to conform to the ways of the world like never before. Even still, I believe each one of them is created in the image of God to do something great with their lives. It is possible for a teenager to reverse engineer his life and live for something much greater.
We watched this video on adolescence yesterday as a group and I felt compelled to share my story with these impressionable young men. I was engaged at 22 years old and married at 23. During the dating process, Liz and I made some very serious decisions about how we were going to handle being a couple. In Madison, we were very counter-cultural. We made commitments while thinking logically, before we were in moments of temptation when emotions could have taken control of the decision making process. I'm not going to lie, remaining pure was difficult considering many of my roommates seemed to be enjoying life because they on the opposite side of the spectrum. Even with strong convictions and a lifestyle that reflected my faith, they still put pressure on me to compromise my standards for immediate satisfaction. Liz and I were married in 2003 and our relationship has grown each and every day.
Fast forward to present day. Liz and I celebrated our 8-year anniversary last week, we have two wonderful children, a fantastic house, a life-changing business and many more responsibilities that we're extremely grateful for. The irony is that these friends of mine (and I still do consider them friends, by the way) told me that I was too young to get married. By today's standards, I was. However, four of my dearest friends were quick to tell me to hold on to my youth because I'm only young once. That might be true, but it's also true that you only live once. These four are all in their 30's and remain single. Only one of them is a homeowner and only two have steady, full-time jobs. They produced very little during their 20's that made an impact. I wonder what they see when they look at my life today.
See, here's the deal: you are only young once and I believe we do need to cherish our high school and college years. There is little to no responsibility during those years. BUT, responsibility is not something that should be avoided as if it's a bad thing. It's what separates the men from the boys. Accept responsibility! Be a contributor instead of a consumer. Think long-term, not short-term.
In my 20's I was dead set against owning a mini-van. I was afraid it would cramp my style, make me look out-dated and take away my zest for life. Honestly, Liz and I fought the idea for months before we both decided it was the best option for our family. I can say without hesitation that my mom was right. Mini-vans are great. Not only have the automatic sliding doors been awesome, but what it's done for my manhood has been unrivaled in the past 5 years. It was almost like God hit me between the eyes and said, "Kevin, you idiot" (yes, God can call people idiots) "driving a mini-van is the manliest thing you can do. Your family comes before your image. Embracing your role as a father is far more manly than looking good in something else, but you know what's more? You look better in a mini-van than you could in anything else no matter what others are saying." I think He's right. Duh, of course He is.
The funny thing is, I heard similar jeers from these friends of mine about driving a mini-van. They thought, how could I drive a mini-van? Well, it's probably because I'm a man. Maybe they haven't crossed that line into manhood yet.
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