Luke 4:14-30 says, "Jesus went to his hometown and no one listened to him because they were too familiar with him”. That is my paraphrase anyway. The line that you may know from that section says, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown” (verse 24). In other words, when things are always there, it is easy to overlook them or take them for granted.
One of the biggest challenges in life (I find anyway) is to keep looking at what you have instead of what you do not have. It takes some effort to see your blessings instead of your problems.
In church this week, I asked people if they could see the blessing of their friendships and their families. Then I told them that I was going to give them 30 seconds to get up and say something nice to the people around them. When I said, "Go" everyone jumped up and it was one of the nicest things I had seen in a long time! People were laughing, talking, hugging and smiling. It was not something that I had planned to do, but it was really special. For a moment at least, we remembered how much we really like one another and how much we would miss someone if they were not there.
A line from a Toby Mac song says, “You never know what you’ve got till it’s gone”. Well, I am going to make an effort to change that in my life. As this new week starts and I go back to my routine and my "familiar" stuff, I am going to try to see the good and not the bad. I am going to try to focus on my blessings and not just my problems. I am going to try to appreciate the familiar things in my life, instead of just overlooking them. I am going to try to know what I have before it is gone, because I think that may change how I live each day.
How about you?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
You Can’t Do it!
Bob Newhart once did a comedy piece for “Mad TV” in which he played a counselor who was giving advice to a young woman. After she described her problem to him, Newhart said, “Katherine I am going to say two words to you. I want you to take them from this office and incorporate them into your life. Are you ready? Here they are… STOP IT!” Each time she told him a new problem, his answer was to yell, “Stop it!” (The video is on the internet – Google it if you need a laugh).
Now, on the surface, that seems to make sense. If you are doing something that you do not want to do anymore, then just stop it. However, it usually is not that easy. After all, if we could “stop it” on our own, we probably would have already.
Too often, I think that the church sounds like Bob Newhart. Someone is struggling with a problem or a sin and some well-meaning preacher or church member encourages him or her to “stop it” or to “try harder”. Again, that sounds like good advice, but it is not! In fact, it is not even a Biblical answer.
While the Bible does tell us to “stop it” and to “try harder”, that is not the starting point of its message. In fact, the starting point has much more to do with God than us.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).
I have been through enough things in my life to know that change does not come instantly or easily. I understand how difficult some of our struggles can be. However, I also believe that we cannot do enough on our own to fix everything. We need help. We need a new way to see our lives. We need to be “transformed” and changed by God.
Would you like a new life? Could you use a change?
God is waiting. If you let him, he can shape your life into something new.
The starting point is God and not us.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
Now, on the surface, that seems to make sense. If you are doing something that you do not want to do anymore, then just stop it. However, it usually is not that easy. After all, if we could “stop it” on our own, we probably would have already.
Too often, I think that the church sounds like Bob Newhart. Someone is struggling with a problem or a sin and some well-meaning preacher or church member encourages him or her to “stop it” or to “try harder”. Again, that sounds like good advice, but it is not! In fact, it is not even a Biblical answer.
While the Bible does tell us to “stop it” and to “try harder”, that is not the starting point of its message. In fact, the starting point has much more to do with God than us.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).
I have been through enough things in my life to know that change does not come instantly or easily. I understand how difficult some of our struggles can be. However, I also believe that we cannot do enough on our own to fix everything. We need help. We need a new way to see our lives. We need to be “transformed” and changed by God.
Would you like a new life? Could you use a change?
God is waiting. If you let him, he can shape your life into something new.
The starting point is God and not us.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
It is not Over (or at least it should not be)
Have you seen a commercial that says something like “Better TV. Better Life”?
I only saw it once, but I could not believe it. I know that advertising companies are paid to make you want new things, but this was a little ridiculous.
Did they really believe that someone would say, “You know what would make my life better... a 52 inch plasma TV!” That sounds crazy right?
Unfortunately, in our most honest moments, we likely have to admit that we think that way sometimes. Maybe we do not dream about big TVs, but what about big houses, new cars, “hot holidays” on Caribbean beaches or big banks accounts?
Now, let me make clear that, in principle, I am not against us having these things. However, my point is that they can become a problem in at least a couple of ways.
First, we make a mistake when we begin to think, “I will be happy when…” (you can fill in the blank). When we think about it, we know that new TVs and more stuff cannot make us happier or make our lives better. Eventually, those things lose their luster and we are back to where we started.
The second issue is that we can be so focused on acquiring things that we do not have much left to share with others. Saskatchewan is an exception, as we routinely set records for charitable giving, but many people are simply so far in debt that they could not help a good cause even if they wanted to. Maybe we need a different way to see things.
The Bible says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28). Work, not so that you can get more, but so that you can share. That is different.
The Bible also says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Notice that it did not say, “acquire continually and get more in all circumstances”, but “give thanks”.
I know that the calendar says that “Thanksgiving” is over, but can we keep it going for a while?
I only saw it once, but I could not believe it. I know that advertising companies are paid to make you want new things, but this was a little ridiculous.
Did they really believe that someone would say, “You know what would make my life better... a 52 inch plasma TV!” That sounds crazy right?
Unfortunately, in our most honest moments, we likely have to admit that we think that way sometimes. Maybe we do not dream about big TVs, but what about big houses, new cars, “hot holidays” on Caribbean beaches or big banks accounts?
Now, let me make clear that, in principle, I am not against us having these things. However, my point is that they can become a problem in at least a couple of ways.
First, we make a mistake when we begin to think, “I will be happy when…” (you can fill in the blank). When we think about it, we know that new TVs and more stuff cannot make us happier or make our lives better. Eventually, those things lose their luster and we are back to where we started.
The second issue is that we can be so focused on acquiring things that we do not have much left to share with others. Saskatchewan is an exception, as we routinely set records for charitable giving, but many people are simply so far in debt that they could not help a good cause even if they wanted to. Maybe we need a different way to see things.
The Bible says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28). Work, not so that you can get more, but so that you can share. That is different.
The Bible also says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Notice that it did not say, “acquire continually and get more in all circumstances”, but “give thanks”.
I know that the calendar says that “Thanksgiving” is over, but can we keep it going for a while?
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Worst Booth at Showcase
A friend of mine named Sam had what was possibly the most unpopular booth of all at “Showcase” (our local trade show) this year. If you were there, I guarantee that you noticed it.
Candy apple booth (Yum!)… Hot tubs (Fun!)… Jewelry (Interesting)… Big screen TV and Rider game (Coo1)… Funeral planning booth (Ugh!).
Sam said that it was interesting to watch people’s reactions. While some people stopped to talk to him, many either avoided eye contact or avoided the booth altogether. Some joked, “I don’t need that yet” or “I sure don’t want to talk to you”.
Part of the problem, I believe, is our society’s “arms length” attitude to death and dying.
Think about the old days on the farm. People used to butcher their own animals. Now we purchase meat in vacuum packs. Death is no longer a visible part of our every day life.
In the past, when a loved one died, the family prepared the body and hosted the funeral. My Grandma still remembers her dad’s funeral that was held in the living room of the family homestead near Arcola. Now, we hire professionals to take care of the arrangements and details for us.
Things have become easier, but not necessarily better. We seem less willing to deal with death and dying than ever before. Yet, every one of us is going to die someday (Unless Christ returns first), so it probably makes sense to be preparing for that event. You can deny it, ignore it or avoid it, but it will happen.
Personally, I do not care whether you preplan your funeral or not, but I do care that you think about what happens after you die.
The Bible teaches that Christ’s death provides us with the gift of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life with God (John 3:16; John 14:1-4; Romans 6:1-4).
As the old time preachers used to say, “Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people”.
The time to prepare is now.
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
Candy apple booth (Yum!)… Hot tubs (Fun!)… Jewelry (Interesting)… Big screen TV and Rider game (Coo1)… Funeral planning booth (Ugh!).
Sam said that it was interesting to watch people’s reactions. While some people stopped to talk to him, many either avoided eye contact or avoided the booth altogether. Some joked, “I don’t need that yet” or “I sure don’t want to talk to you”.
Part of the problem, I believe, is our society’s “arms length” attitude to death and dying.
Think about the old days on the farm. People used to butcher their own animals. Now we purchase meat in vacuum packs. Death is no longer a visible part of our every day life.
In the past, when a loved one died, the family prepared the body and hosted the funeral. My Grandma still remembers her dad’s funeral that was held in the living room of the family homestead near Arcola. Now, we hire professionals to take care of the arrangements and details for us.
Things have become easier, but not necessarily better. We seem less willing to deal with death and dying than ever before. Yet, every one of us is going to die someday (Unless Christ returns first), so it probably makes sense to be preparing for that event. You can deny it, ignore it or avoid it, but it will happen.
Personally, I do not care whether you preplan your funeral or not, but I do care that you think about what happens after you die.
The Bible teaches that Christ’s death provides us with the gift of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life with God (John 3:16; John 14:1-4; Romans 6:1-4).
As the old time preachers used to say, “Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people”.
The time to prepare is now.
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
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