Day 32. Using What God Gave You
In the movie “Amazing Grace,” William Wilberforce has a conversion, a new birth in Christ, and he is uncertain what to do with it. At first, basking in the knowledge of God while reclining on the wet grass seems appropriate to him. He then goes to his childhood pastor, John Newton, and discusses a life of solitude. Newton, former slave ship captain and composer of “Amazing Grace” tells him in no uncertain terms, “Wilbur, you have work to do.”
Still undecided, Wilberforce talked to his friend and future prime-minister, William Pitt, who urged him to stay in politics. This was followed by a group of abolitionists who believed Wilberforce to be their best hope. His passion and gift of oratory made him the logical candidate to take the abolitionist’s case forward.
Wilberforce had not been the best judge of his use of gifts. It took friends and associates to convince him that he was shaped for serving God through politics, not solitude.
Warren makes the points that we must diligently assess our gifts and strive to find their fit with a world in need. We need our own assessment, but he emphasizes that we must ask others. They may be the best judges of our fruits.
Warren also emphasizes that diving in, experimenting, may be the best way to find our fit. And we best not wait until it “feels” right. John Wesley admonished that “Waiting until you feel like it to do good is the enthusiastic doctrine of devils!”
The title for today is to “use,” not just “examine” what God gave us.
Blessings in your service,
Rick
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Day 31. Understanding Your SHAPE
Day 31. Understanding Your SHAPE
Since Warren is continuing yesterday’s discussion so will I with more of Five Secrets. But first a quote from Rabbi Harold Kushner: “A life of meaning is achieved not by a few great deeds but by a lot of little ones… the challenge is to find something truly human to do every day of our lives. [We need to] belong to people. Accept pain as part of our lives (or we would never dare to hope or to love). Know that we’ve made a difference.” (1)
Life is about relationships. Service is about relationships. The use of our abilities, personalities, experiences is about how we use them in relationship. Life is what we do every day. Unless we are true to our relationships with God and others (Great Commandment) every day, we settle for something less than our being true to ourselves and our calling.
Izzo (2) suggests that we evaluate each day. That's what he means by being intentional. I’d like you to answer the questions from the perspective of using your true self (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, experience) in relationships and service.
- Did this day feel like my kind of day? What would make tomorrow or next week feel more true?
- Was I the kind of person I want to be [today]? In what way do I want to be more like the kind of person I want to be tomorrow?
- Am I following my heart right now? What would it mean for me to really follow my heart right now?
- How do I want to live this secret (be true to yourself, live with intention) more deeply next week?
As you can see, no one can answer the questions for you. But remember, we’re not talking about great deeds, but the little ones. Yesterday, Rosemary talked to her sister about life, and called her best friend from our Army days and talked for an hour. Relationships. I have a hunch that when the last conversation was over, she felt like she’d had "her kind of day." And she had served those relationships with her SHAPE.
How can you employ your SHAPE in service to God and others more deeply next week?
Blessings,
Rick
(1) Kushner, Harold. When All You Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough. (New York: Summit Books, 1986) page 166 and 168.
(2) Izzo, John, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die. (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Pulishers, Inc., 2008) page 45
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Day 30. Shaped for Serving God
Day 30. Shaped for Serving God
The secular argument is “Nature or nurture?” To add to the mix are the gifts of the Holy Spirit such that are the fusion of our attributes of direct benefit to the body of Christ. Confusing?
But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s … gifts to his people.”… to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love (emphasis added). (Ephesians 4:7-16 excerpts)
Lists in Ephesians, Romans and 1 Corinthians include many gifts but they were never meant to be exhaustive. In fact, the variety of gifts is almost without limit. The one thing that is certain is that the gifts are to build the body of Christ up in love. As Rick Warren indicates, our gifts are to be used for others. Our gifts are about relationships. Our gifts are about love.
All have gifts. All are called to serve in love. Determining those attributes by which we best serve the body of Christ is not always easy. Our capabilities are manifest. Warren notes that we serve best when we are passionate about our task. Have you stepped back to admire those that seem to be a perfect fit for what they do? Bob Costas always comes to mind. He has the gift of gab and the love of sports and has been talking about it professionally since he was a teenager. He’s passionate about what he does. You’ve seen mothers, nurses, doctors, artists, writers who are as passionate and seem a perfect fit with what they do
We serve best when we fit our passions as closely as possible. But how do we know? John Izzo (1) suggests that to be "fulfilled and fruitful" (Warren’s words), we need to be “true to our selves and live with intention” (Izzo's words). Life is what we do every day. Izzo suggests that we need to ask ourselves every day if we are living out “our bliss,” if we are we going to bed with a “good tired,” the kind we feel when we know we’ve had good day? He says we need to examine our lives each day so that we come to know what it means to be true to ourselves. We need to intentional about determining what it is. Have you ever asked the question, "Am I following my heart right now? What would it mean for me to really follow my heart right now?" (Izzo, page 45)
Just because we are capable of something doesn’t mean it’s our call. I’m a good organizer, but I’m always stressed when I’m involved in big tasks requiring those skills. It’s not my bliss. And being true to oneself does not mean that we need not use our other capabilities. We need those skills to cope in the world around us. You might say that we need those to make a living; we use our gifts for ourselves and others to have a life.
My you find peace in truth,
Rick
1 Izzo, John, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die. (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Pulishers, Inc., 2008) page 26
The secular argument is “Nature or nurture?” To add to the mix are the gifts of the Holy Spirit such that are the fusion of our attributes of direct benefit to the body of Christ. Confusing?
But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s … gifts to his people.”… to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love (emphasis added). (Ephesians 4:7-16 excerpts)
Lists in Ephesians, Romans and 1 Corinthians include many gifts but they were never meant to be exhaustive. In fact, the variety of gifts is almost without limit. The one thing that is certain is that the gifts are to build the body of Christ up in love. As Rick Warren indicates, our gifts are to be used for others. Our gifts are about relationships. Our gifts are about love.
All have gifts. All are called to serve in love. Determining those attributes by which we best serve the body of Christ is not always easy. Our capabilities are manifest. Warren notes that we serve best when we are passionate about our task. Have you stepped back to admire those that seem to be a perfect fit for what they do? Bob Costas always comes to mind. He has the gift of gab and the love of sports and has been talking about it professionally since he was a teenager. He’s passionate about what he does. You’ve seen mothers, nurses, doctors, artists, writers who are as passionate and seem a perfect fit with what they do
We serve best when we fit our passions as closely as possible. But how do we know? John Izzo (1) suggests that to be "fulfilled and fruitful" (Warren’s words), we need to be “true to our selves and live with intention” (Izzo's words). Life is what we do every day. Izzo suggests that we need to ask ourselves every day if we are living out “our bliss,” if we are we going to bed with a “good tired,” the kind we feel when we know we’ve had good day? He says we need to examine our lives each day so that we come to know what it means to be true to ourselves. We need to intentional about determining what it is. Have you ever asked the question, "Am I following my heart right now? What would it mean for me to really follow my heart right now?" (Izzo, page 45)
Just because we are capable of something doesn’t mean it’s our call. I’m a good organizer, but I’m always stressed when I’m involved in big tasks requiring those skills. It’s not my bliss. And being true to oneself does not mean that we need not use our other capabilities. We need those skills to cope in the world around us. You might say that we need those to make a living; we use our gifts for ourselves and others to have a life.
My you find peace in truth,
Rick
1 Izzo, John, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die. (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Pulishers, Inc., 2008) page 26
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Day 29. Accepting Your Assignment
Day 29. Accepting Your Assignment
Last summer, Keith Jaspers talked to our School of Lay Ministry about Rainbow Network, www.rainbownetwork.org, a charity founded by Keith and one at the top of my list. Keith told us that he believed that Matthew 25 (The sheep and the goats) was an imperative. We have no choice but to serve. Keith is a successful businessman who along with his wife have employed half the available hours of their adult lives in service. Rainbow Network serves about 55,000 people in the remote villages of Nicaragua providing food, healthcare, housing, education and economic development to those whose lives would otherwise be---well, just be. There is no doubt that Keith and the thousands he gathers to serve with him are the hands, feet, and heart of Christ to those people.
We’re not all Keith Jaspers, and we cannot all give half our time, but we are all called to do something. In today’s reading, Rick Warren makes a compelling case that we are called to serve, not out of duty but of “deep gratitude for what He has done for us.”
A question was asked, “How much charity is too much?” I have two answers, one tongue in cheek. Don’t do it all, there won’t be anything left for others to do. But my real answer is to lift them up until they are able to see God for themselves.
We are the only creatures created to be able to conceive of a God, yet millions live in starvation and destitution to such a degree that their minds cannot see beyond a bite to eat or a sip to drink. In their case, water or food is an act of love that will allow them to raise their head and see God.
Others, even in an affluent society, have become part of a subculture that do not have certain capacities to do for themselves. If we can just lift them up so that they can begin nourishing their own spirits what wonderful changes could follow. That’s love.
There are things that people simply cannot do for themselves. They need our hands. They need the body of Christ. If the two billion on this earth that claimed Christianity took seriously and accepted their assignment to serve with their unique gifts, just think what we could do!
This week is a week for us to think about our assignments.
Blessings so that you may be a blessing,
Rick
Last summer, Keith Jaspers talked to our School of Lay Ministry about Rainbow Network, www.rainbownetwork.org, a charity founded by Keith and one at the top of my list. Keith told us that he believed that Matthew 25 (The sheep and the goats) was an imperative. We have no choice but to serve. Keith is a successful businessman who along with his wife have employed half the available hours of their adult lives in service. Rainbow Network serves about 55,000 people in the remote villages of Nicaragua providing food, healthcare, housing, education and economic development to those whose lives would otherwise be---well, just be. There is no doubt that Keith and the thousands he gathers to serve with him are the hands, feet, and heart of Christ to those people.
We’re not all Keith Jaspers, and we cannot all give half our time, but we are all called to do something. In today’s reading, Rick Warren makes a compelling case that we are called to serve, not out of duty but of “deep gratitude for what He has done for us.”
A question was asked, “How much charity is too much?” I have two answers, one tongue in cheek. Don’t do it all, there won’t be anything left for others to do. But my real answer is to lift them up until they are able to see God for themselves.
We are the only creatures created to be able to conceive of a God, yet millions live in starvation and destitution to such a degree that their minds cannot see beyond a bite to eat or a sip to drink. In their case, water or food is an act of love that will allow them to raise their head and see God.
Others, even in an affluent society, have become part of a subculture that do not have certain capacities to do for themselves. If we can just lift them up so that they can begin nourishing their own spirits what wonderful changes could follow. That’s love.
There are things that people simply cannot do for themselves. They need our hands. They need the body of Christ. If the two billion on this earth that claimed Christianity took seriously and accepted their assignment to serve with their unique gifts, just think what we could do!
This week is a week for us to think about our assignments.
Blessings so that you may be a blessing,
Rick
Monday, March 3, 2008
Day 28. It Takes Time
Day 28. It Takes Time
I’m reminded of Stephen Covey’s use of the “Law of the Farm” to illustrate the need for process, practice, time for all good things to come to fruition. We cannot harvest what we do not prepare, plant, water, fertilize, and cultivate. Nor can we harvest a seed divinely made to be mature in 180 days in just 100 days. It’s the Law of the Farm!
James W. Fowler, in his classic work on faith development, Stages of Faith, tells us that faith development parallels emotional development. We cannot expect a preschooler to have a complex understanding of God anymore than a field of corn to be ready for harvest on the 4th of July. By the same token, conversion does not instantly change the content of our faith structure. Even atheists have faith. To progress from being “born again” requires the rewriting of the narratives of our lives. It takes time. To use CS Lewis’ example, if we are grass and want to produce wheat we need to make changes deep below the surface. We need to be ploughed up and replanted. It takes time.
In the meantime, what are we to do? Practice.
John Wesley gathered new believers, along with those maturing, into “classes” and encouraged them to practice his “general rules”: To first do no harm; to do good; and to attend to the ordinances of God; such are public worship, the Word, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, Scriptures, fasting, in other words, means of grace. Class leaders were to see each person at least once a week to inquire of their souls, to advise, reprove, exhort, to receive offerings for the poor. These latter class meetings have come to be included in Christian Conferences or holy conversations.
All of these are “practice.” Of them, I cannot emphasize holy conversations enough. Inquiring, examining, praying together, sharing Scripture together, performing Christian service together are essential to spiritual growth. Just as a piano teacher accelerates learning by imparting proper techniques, and a farmers improve the harvest by learning from others the correct fertilizer to apply (correct farming "practices"), so the Christian advances through the means of grace including holy conversations. And we learn most diligently by covenanting with one another and holding ourselves accountable.
Do you have a spiritual partner or covenant group helping you plough and replant?
Blessings,
Rick
I’m reminded of Stephen Covey’s use of the “Law of the Farm” to illustrate the need for process, practice, time for all good things to come to fruition. We cannot harvest what we do not prepare, plant, water, fertilize, and cultivate. Nor can we harvest a seed divinely made to be mature in 180 days in just 100 days. It’s the Law of the Farm!
James W. Fowler, in his classic work on faith development, Stages of Faith, tells us that faith development parallels emotional development. We cannot expect a preschooler to have a complex understanding of God anymore than a field of corn to be ready for harvest on the 4th of July. By the same token, conversion does not instantly change the content of our faith structure. Even atheists have faith. To progress from being “born again” requires the rewriting of the narratives of our lives. It takes time. To use CS Lewis’ example, if we are grass and want to produce wheat we need to make changes deep below the surface. We need to be ploughed up and replanted. It takes time.
In the meantime, what are we to do? Practice.
John Wesley gathered new believers, along with those maturing, into “classes” and encouraged them to practice his “general rules”: To first do no harm; to do good; and to attend to the ordinances of God; such are public worship, the Word, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, Scriptures, fasting, in other words, means of grace. Class leaders were to see each person at least once a week to inquire of their souls, to advise, reprove, exhort, to receive offerings for the poor. These latter class meetings have come to be included in Christian Conferences or holy conversations.
All of these are “practice.” Of them, I cannot emphasize holy conversations enough. Inquiring, examining, praying together, sharing Scripture together, performing Christian service together are essential to spiritual growth. Just as a piano teacher accelerates learning by imparting proper techniques, and a farmers improve the harvest by learning from others the correct fertilizer to apply (correct farming "practices"), so the Christian advances through the means of grace including holy conversations. And we learn most diligently by covenanting with one another and holding ourselves accountable.
Do you have a spiritual partner or covenant group helping you plough and replant?
Blessings,
Rick
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Day 27. Defeating Temptation
Day 27. Defeating Temptation
In 1989, Jerry Jenkins (Left Behind fame), published a book Hedges: Loving Your Marriage Enough to Protect It. A revised edition was released in 2005. A comment from one of the Amazon reviews:
“Through … illustrative stories and personal anecdotes, Jenkins takes the reader through exactly what mistakes people make when dealing with the opposite sex, including what many see as mild flirting. He talks about certain rules like, never be alone with a person of the opposite sex who is not your relative. He explains, without preaching, the importance of planting "hedges" around your marriage (Rick’s emphasis) to keep your odds of infidelity at bay. It is just amazing how many people believe they're completely safe from cheating, but can find themselves in a compromising position without these hedges.
”This book touched me unlike any marriage book I've read. Jenkins is, in non-fiction, still a powerful writer and story-teller. He made me think more seriously about my own marriage, and my relationships with other men. I was convicted, and freed at the same time. Though the book is primarily written with men in mind, women can gain from it as well.” Natalie Jost
Satan has a real toe hold with regard to sexual sin, and Jenkins urges building hedges around our relationships from the very beginning. Warren points out that avoiding temptation is easier than escaping it once we’ve been tempted. And we know the great power of the human mind to rationalize. Every temptation can lead us down the slippery slope if we succumb to the early nudgings (see yesterday’s blog on the seven deadly sins).
Hedges work for all of them. Maybe the best hedge is the simple prayer, “Dear God, tell me what Jesus would do?”
What hedges do you need to build to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ?
Blessings,
Rick
In 1989, Jerry Jenkins (Left Behind fame), published a book Hedges: Loving Your Marriage Enough to Protect It. A revised edition was released in 2005. A comment from one of the Amazon reviews:
“Through … illustrative stories and personal anecdotes, Jenkins takes the reader through exactly what mistakes people make when dealing with the opposite sex, including what many see as mild flirting. He talks about certain rules like, never be alone with a person of the opposite sex who is not your relative. He explains, without preaching, the importance of planting "hedges" around your marriage (Rick’s emphasis) to keep your odds of infidelity at bay. It is just amazing how many people believe they're completely safe from cheating, but can find themselves in a compromising position without these hedges.
”This book touched me unlike any marriage book I've read. Jenkins is, in non-fiction, still a powerful writer and story-teller. He made me think more seriously about my own marriage, and my relationships with other men. I was convicted, and freed at the same time. Though the book is primarily written with men in mind, women can gain from it as well.” Natalie Jost
Satan has a real toe hold with regard to sexual sin, and Jenkins urges building hedges around our relationships from the very beginning. Warren points out that avoiding temptation is easier than escaping it once we’ve been tempted. And we know the great power of the human mind to rationalize. Every temptation can lead us down the slippery slope if we succumb to the early nudgings (see yesterday’s blog on the seven deadly sins).
Hedges work for all of them. Maybe the best hedge is the simple prayer, “Dear God, tell me what Jesus would do?”
What hedges do you need to build to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ?
Blessings,
Rick
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Day 26. Growing Through Temptation
Day 26. Growing Through Temptation.
I recently listened to a podcast sermon about “lead me not into temptation.”1 In it the pastor said that the word used was meant to be “test"; and the prayer was one to make us godly people that God no longer needed to test. My guess is that the next line, “and deliver me from the evil one” ought to be trials enough in this life. As I indicated yesterday, Warren uses the term temptation as those troubles caused by Satan. The good news for good people is that Christ has overcome Satan! That means that he has no power over us. We are free to choose wisely! So why do we fail.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other.” (Genesis 3.1a) Need I say more? No frontal assaults here. Have you every wondered why the Seven Deadly Sins were not murder and rape and grand larceny and destruction of someone’s soul? Why just pride and envy and anger and sloth (what is that anyway?) and avarice (and that?) and gluttony and lust? They sure don’t seem deadly. That’s the point. The devil is crafty.
If you were told to murder someone or embezzle from you company or destroy your marriage, you would say emphatically, “No way.” But to be angry (that’s my right), be envious (I deserve it), or welcome attraction in the break room from a good-looking coworker (she/he’s lonely and needs someone to care), seem so innocent. Anyway, I can stop anytime. Sure. The evil one has us just where he wants us, just over the crest of the slippery slope.
Warren starts us out on the right path. We need to know posies along the path that play host to the bumble bees and avoid them at all cost. I’ve long been a fan of Luther’s great saying, “You cannot keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair.”
John Wesley would say that if we fill our hearts and minds with love of God and love of neighbor, the choices will come easy. I'm not there yet. So I say..
"Look out for the low, slow birds! And pray!" I like Warren’s instruction, “Cry out.” “But deliver us from evil…” We'll be better for it.
Rick
1Greg Boyd, Woodland Hills Church, "Can God Trust You?" Jan 19, 2008
I recently listened to a podcast sermon about “lead me not into temptation.”1 In it the pastor said that the word used was meant to be “test"; and the prayer was one to make us godly people that God no longer needed to test. My guess is that the next line, “and deliver me from the evil one” ought to be trials enough in this life. As I indicated yesterday, Warren uses the term temptation as those troubles caused by Satan. The good news for good people is that Christ has overcome Satan! That means that he has no power over us. We are free to choose wisely! So why do we fail.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other.” (Genesis 3.1a) Need I say more? No frontal assaults here. Have you every wondered why the Seven Deadly Sins were not murder and rape and grand larceny and destruction of someone’s soul? Why just pride and envy and anger and sloth (what is that anyway?) and avarice (and that?) and gluttony and lust? They sure don’t seem deadly. That’s the point. The devil is crafty.
If you were told to murder someone or embezzle from you company or destroy your marriage, you would say emphatically, “No way.” But to be angry (that’s my right), be envious (I deserve it), or welcome attraction in the break room from a good-looking coworker (she/he’s lonely and needs someone to care), seem so innocent. Anyway, I can stop anytime. Sure. The evil one has us just where he wants us, just over the crest of the slippery slope.
Warren starts us out on the right path. We need to know posies along the path that play host to the bumble bees and avoid them at all cost. I’ve long been a fan of Luther’s great saying, “You cannot keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair.”
John Wesley would say that if we fill our hearts and minds with love of God and love of neighbor, the choices will come easy. I'm not there yet. So I say..
"Look out for the low, slow birds! And pray!" I like Warren’s instruction, “Cry out.” “But deliver us from evil…” We'll be better for it.
Rick
1Greg Boyd, Woodland Hills Church, "Can God Trust You?" Jan 19, 2008
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