my walk of shame....

"The Love of God is Absolute"

-Billy Graham

I was reminded again this week of how much I love my small group. It's no wonder that the early church exploded overnight. If it was anything like my small group I can understand why everyday people were divinely inspired to do amazing things for the glory of God. This past week we were discussing how difficult it is to actually live out our faith. We found that many of us tiptoe on the tightrope of casual Christianity because of either fear, lack of confidence, or laziness. It's so easy to write off these deficiencies as actually waiting for the right moment. I mean think about it... how many times have you not chosen to speak up about something that you know is wrong because you're afraid you will be viewed as "that guy". Or how about this one... you would rather just not address that issue because it would just take too much time... and you are sure that God has someone else better equipped to deal with that person. I find myself arguing with that voice in the back of my head on a daily basis... and I think he's getting tired of the excuses. 

I was reading some old notes this afternoon and I came across this quote from Billy Graham. It kind of hit me right between the eyes. It's such a simple statement. The love of God is absolute. I find that statement to be so simple and true in it's very nature but my blurred reality seems to redefine it. I sing it's validity everyday but my casual stroll through life doesn't match the tune. 

As a follower of Jesus I am supposed to see the world with the eyes of the Savior but I don't. I am blinded by my own desires and lack of effort. There are people that I come in contact with that drive me crazy. There are people who desire my attention and I let myself get distracted by the next person in line. There are people I avoid because I don't want them to "bring me down". I choose my own comforts and cravings nine times out of ten and I'm getting tired of the lip service. 

I have been challenged recently to focus more on loving with the absolute love of God. Loving others regardless of their labels and regardless of my benefit. Everyday people are given the opportunity to chose Heaven or Hell... and I'm tired of letting Hell be an option. I want to create more opportunities for redemption... whatever that looks like. Maybe it's complementing that coworker who makes my blood boil or maybe it's taking the time to notice and listen to that person without looking for what's in it for me. All I know is this world needs more glimpses of Heaven and I can't wait around for other people to create them. It's our job as believers to reclaim this world. So what does that mean for you? How are you going to create more opportunities for people to choose Heaven? 

who needs a bigger boat?

I was recently looking through some old pictures and came across this one. My wife and I went on a cruise through Alaska with my in-laws and this was one of the pictures I took. I took this picture from the back of the boat to show how far you could see the wake of the boat. It was incredible... all you could see is open water, quiet and calm as it always is... and one long scar as far as the eyes could see where our boat cut through the water and agitated the surface. I took this picture because it reminded me of a quote I once read. I can't quite remember who it was accredited to... i'm sure it was either Abraham Lincoln or Winston Churchill, considering they are probably the most quoted people in all of history... and rightfully so. Those two had brilliant words of wisdom and insight. But the quote went something like this:

"The measure of a man has nothing to do with the size of his boat, but instead the wake it leaves behind."

I absolutely love that quote. And honestly it can be interpreted in many ways, but let me try to articulate what it means to me. To me, this quote speaks volumes about the legacy we choose to leave behind. We all want to leave a legacy that inspires people to integrity and life the way it was meant to be. If you're anything like me... I want my life to effect people in such a way that they would have no choice but to believe that there was potential in this world and something must be done to free it.

This is what I mean.... God created this world, and it was good. It was the way it was intended to be. And we screwed the whole thing up by living outside of God's design for us. We wanted control and thought we knew better than God. But so many people stop there. So many would be perfectly happy stopping with the world being suffocated by layers of greed, suffering and selfishness. So many are content in believing that is all there is... a messed up and hopeless world. That's just the way things are and there's no hope of changing it. The world lacks hope. I mean,... sure we get a little glimpse of hope here and there when we watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. But even that only lasts until the next commercial break.

Here's what I want my legacy to be...hope. When I leave this world and people look back at my "wake" I want lives to be changed by hope. I want hope to give the eyes people need in order to see what this world could be. I want everyone around me to become doers. I want people to have a vision of a better world and do something to make it happen. I want people to be so attuned to the needs of their surroundings that they do whatever it takes to meet those needs. I want to see an invasion of Heaven here. I know it's possible. It's not easy... but it's possible

What do you want your legacy to be? What waves are you making on this world? Or have you already bought into the lie that you need a bigger boat?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. -Proverbs 3:5-6

strengthening your senses

It's funny how at different times in your life,... some things just stand out. Some things are just easier to notice. It almost comes natural and there's no real way to explain why. Recently I have begin to notice the amount of emotion behind the human eyes. I have no idea why this all of a sudden has become something that triggers an alarm on my instinctual radar, but it's been happening more and more. It's amazing to me to see how much emotion can be expressed with a stabbing glare.

Just last week I was helping a friend of mine watch his kids and it astounded me how his little girl could relay loads of emotional information with just one uncomfortable glance. It was clear that this girl did not trust me and knew I wasn't her father. It was clear because I saw it in her eyes. This baby can't even talk yet but she said plenty with the look on her eyes.

A few days ago I went and spoke to a large group of students at a church. It was a blast. They were having a huge event that would last all night with great activities for students like ice skating, and a riverboat cruise. They had me come in and give a message about the saving grace of Jesus. I talked about how the world is messed up because we as humans are messed up. We choose to live a life of sin because it's easier than living the way we are meant to live. Then I began talking about the lies Satan whispers in our inner ear about how we will never be good enough, we won't measure up, there's no hope, and there's no point in trying to change. It was a message that I love to share because it's one that I wrestle with all of the time. Even after I spoke I began to hear Satan whisper in my ear, "you blew it, nobody was listening, that was a waste of your time, God's can't use you." He knows exactly what to say to cut you down and make you think you are incapable of anything good. Then I saw something that silenced the screams in my inner ear. I felt like all of a sudden I was under water or that I had lost my hearing and had to rely on strengthening my other senses to notice what would come next. Everything else went silent and I could hear this girl's eyes. It's like they were screaming for rescue. She walked up to me and she didn't have to say a word. I already knew.

Her eyes... seared that moment in my memory and I hope that it remains a scar. I never want to forget what her eyes shared with me. It seemed as if it was God himself telling me and the voices in my inner ear, "never underestimate me or what I'm capable of. I am bigger than you could ever possibly understand and nothing can stop my ferocious love." God speaks through anything and everything. The truths of our Savior are saturated in our everyday lives. God is trying to tell you something and sooner or later you are going to hear it in ways you couldn't imagine. Listen with your whole being and you will hear the message.