by Donald | May 8, 2013 | Blog
“At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness” (Psalm 69:13b ESV).
I am not naturally inclined toward patience. My wife begins to share with me the trials of her day, and I leap into offering ready solutions—not the response she wants, not by a long shot. Then there is punctuality. I believe it is important to be on time for appointments or events, and chafe at traffic delays (this is probably most vexing when en route to a Saints game). On some occasions, I even find myself finishing sentences for others (again, sadly, my wife is all too familiar with this shortcoming), as if those speaking are struggling somehow to get to the point.
I know I am not alone; comedians make a lot of money telling jokes about human impatience, thereby giving witness to its prevalence. Even our inventions are telling: microwaves, cars, trains, planes, and search engines. I traded in a computer once because it took too long to boot up.
Even the saints in heaven and godly figures in the Bible have expressed impatience. In Revelation 6:10 we read that those who had been slain for their faithfulness to God cry out, “How long before you judge and avenge our blood?” echoing the questions of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 1:2) and the Psalmist (Psalm 13:1). The joke, “Hurry up and wait,” irks us; apparently the saints seeking justice in heaven share the complaint.
So when a problem comes my way at work (now here is a time where delay would have been nice), I quickly set about to solve it. I am well trained, I have my own plentiful experiences to draw upon, and I have learned to seek advice and counsel from others. Getting started is not difficult. But what is difficult is learning to pause long enough to allow God to act on my behalf. It is not that I don’t offer issues to God in prayer—I do. The problem is not stopping long enough to hear an answer.
Such behavior, such impatience, is foolish. Although the dictionary today has softened the implications of being a “fool,” the Bible, most particularly the Book of Proverbs, is rock hard in its use of that appellation.
I do not recall when it occurred, but the moment I first heard the phrase, “He does not suffer fools gladly,” I wanted to be that guy. It’s possible (probable) some self-righteous side of me coveted the implication of wisdom and superiority, but the attraction had more to do with thinking such a person had to have discernment, and that was a character trait I hoped to attain. The Bible urges us to strive for wisdom and discernment, the source of which is God. James reminds us that God gives wisdom generously (James 1:5), we merely have to ask and believe—the believing part is where patience comes into play.
Impatience is foolish and leads to doubt; doubt, in turn, leads to trouble.
This may surprise you—the Bible does not suffer fools gladly, either. Paul used the phrase in a rebuke of the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 11:19). Sometimes I see myself standing in a very long line of persons, impatiently waiting to hear the rebuke we deserve for our impatience with God.
God has given me some wisdom and discernment; I know that apart from Jesus I can do nothing. Yet the fool in me persists in trying to go it alone. It is no wonder that such impatience delivers the rewards a fool deserves to receive.
My prayer today (and if I am clever enough to remember it every day until I am part of eternity) is for God to increase my patience to wait in anticipation of His goodness moving in my life at an acceptable time. Please O God, let me not suffer my foolish impatience with you gladly. Turn my mind toward wisdom as I wait on you.
by Donald | Apr 24, 2013 | Blog
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is right, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
I don’t know about you, but I think there are way too many talk shows and reality shows. Rather than being instructive or entertaining, I find such programs stir up dissension, using high-definition to showcase our penchant for gossip, slander, hyperbole, jealousy, envy, covetousness, division, quarrels, idolatry, and moral relativism. The evening news programs are hardly any better, filled to the brim with bad news emanating from a fallen world.
Ironically, we research the social and psychological damage caused our youth by violent computer games and movies but ignore the effects of living in a violent, self-centered, anything is allowed world as expressed in our national media—whether by news, reality, or talk shows. And the effects are not just against our young people; the toll such programs levy on each of us is staggering.
All such programs offer opinions on what is wrong with our world, its citizens, its classes and ethnicities, its purpose, and its randomness. Those opinions seldom portray a Christian view-point.
Many Christians respond to this in anger, pounding the Bible and pouring out condemnation. They become part of the spectacle, and television and radio producers joyfully display them on the evening news. The judgment of God is offered to a troubled world as Job’s friends offered him comfort.
A “sound-bite” will never win the hearts and minds of people on matters of faith. But I believe there is a better way.
Matt Maher, a contemporary Christian singer/songwriter (listen to his music—it will inspire and bless you), said that Jesus’ interaction with everyday people was usually positive and not combative. Jesus, in grace and truth, preached “good news.”
This week my business led me to a leadership conference where this morning a marketing executive reminded us of a fundamental marketing truth: Successful brands gain customers because their advertising inspires others to crave their products and services in a way that touches real life. The woman at the well exclaimed of Christ, “He told me everything that I ever did,” and many people that heard her went out to see for themselves and came to believe in Jesus (John 4:39). Jesus touched her life and she could not be constrained.
Jesus still offers hope, rest, strength, courage, and peace. His message, now entrusted to us to offer to others, is still the same; we are the bearers of “good news” in a dark and dreary land.
In light of what we see on television and hear on radio, it may be hard to imagine Jesus’ message will resonate with anyone. Paraphrasing the Apostle Paul, “many people today demand miraculous signs and are looking for human wisdom to overcome the depravity of our world. But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block and foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those whom God has called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). We preach a God who so loved the world that He gave His only Son as a sacrifice to redeem us.
The next time you are affronted by a world-view opposed to the truth you know in Christ, seek to advance the conversation with the example of Jesus rather than devolving into argument. “Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16a).
by Donald | Apr 16, 2013 | Blog
“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me” (2 Corinthians 12:7b NIV).
This past Saturday, I attended a “Day with the Bishop” confirmation event with my daughter. During one of the classes (on missions), the parable of the King judging the sheep and the goats was used to illustrate the importance Jesus places on caring about others. It saddened me to recall past times when I behaved as a goat rather than a sheep. The recollection of sinful shortcomings pricked me—an unexpected and unwelcomed thorn in what was otherwise a day of praise and worship.
I am not what some would call a “morbid” thinker; rather, my days are hopeful, my thoughts uplifting, my awareness of God real, and my confidence high. Such an attitude derives from the changes God is making in my life. Still, my life before Christ was messy.
Time is a formidable distance, but it can be bridged very quickly. Our past haunts us because our hearts are being changed by Christ, and brushes with our Dorian Gray former selves can be uncomfortable. Perhaps Paul was thinking about a certain day in his life when he watched the crowd stone Steven when he said in Philippians 3:13 to forget what lies behind and to press forward to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
There are other “thorn memories” that buffet me from time to time, that spring unbidden to wound me. On a recent Saturday, I joyfully celebrated my son’s wedding. As the wedding began I was seated in the front row with my ex-wife (my son’s mother) on one side of me, and my wife (and mother of my daughters—all bridesmaids and flower girls) on the other. It is hard to dodge the implications of a failed marriage sitting in the front row. “There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee” was the Scripture that kept running through my mind. Weddings are important to God.
The photographer was very cautious in discerning “family dynamics” as we all posed for pictures after the wedding. Family dynamics. Sheesh.
Paul, in another admonition, tells us that God works all things for our good. A vivid example is Paul’s thorn: not only did it keep him from becoming conceited; it also worked to drive him urgently into God’s capable hands. My thorns, in spite of their pain, were instrumental in leading me to Grace. My memories are reminders of who I was, not who I am, or much more importantly, whose I am.
God can save you from sin and can also save you out of it, but it is best for the individual to be saved from sin, before it wounds us and others, and before it’s consequences lodge somewhere in our minds to act as thorns against us. When the past haunts me, I lean all the more heavily into Jesus, trusting that He will continue to shape my heart so that it grows more and more into a heart like His.
The Scripture rings true for me that “we love because He first loved us.” I am very interested in serving a God like that, and because I love Him, I am committed to minimizing my future thorn and goat moments by His power and His grace working in my life. Left alone, I bleat and bleed. It is good to remember that even Peter sank when he took his eyes off Jesus.
by Donald | Mar 27, 2013 | Blog
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2 NKJV).
Recently I wrote about the emotional aspects of dealing with an obdurate problem in my life, letting off a little steam in the process. Allowing emotions to surface and breathe is important when we are struck by a significant problem, but it is also important to take action to solve the problem.
Generally lying at the root of most business problems is scarcity of vital resources: time, money, employees, knowledge or know-how, technology, customers, access to markets and channels of distribution, and capital assets and equipment, can be scarce just when they are most needed. When scarcity of resources reaches a critical level that cannot be solved in a reasonable way, the business is in danger.
The typical business response to critical scarcity of resources is as follows: the leader (1) assesses the implications, (2) reassigns priorities, (3) resets expectations to those needing to know, (4) establishes new goals and objectives in light of the resource deficit, (5) communicates the new direction to others, and (6) pursues the new objectives including obtaining the resources needed to accomplish them.
This hierarchy of activities will continue to be followed in a loop for each successive situation where resources either remain inadequate or unavailable to accomplish the new goal. At some point in time, the leader will either declare victory or surrender—and both carry a price-tag. Victory exhausts much of the energy and resources of the business; it will be left fragile and vulnerable. Surrender costs all.
During a business life-cycle, times of harvesting and pruning occur, just as they do in life. Harvesting is a word that implies success—reaping a reward for hard work. Pruning is not necessarily a bad thing, but the word does not connote the same emotional response as harvesting. When faced with an obdurate problem and critical scarcity of resources, pruning is often a tactic employed—you can see where it might be an outcome of any of the steps outlined above.
Biblically there are some important things to consider as you approach the idea of pruning the business.
First, as Christians we serve the Lord in everything we do and are open and willing to hear His call for change in our lives. We do not cling to things. We cling to Jesus.
Second, success can become an idol, alienating us from God’s will for our lives. Sometimes we will be reluctant to let go of things God is prompting us to change in some way. God uses pruning for His own purposes, and sometimes His purpose is to discipline us in order that we draw nearer to Him.
Third, pruning the business may provide the means to share the blessings that God has provided. “One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor” is how this idea is often expressed.
Fourth, contemplating pruning or harvesting different aspects of our work helps us to avoid falling into complacency and stagnating. Sometimes, when things are going well, we tend to want them to stay that way for a long while. Complacency is not godly and opens ourselves to danger. Consideration of pruning certain aspects of our business or harvesting others opens us to the possibility of other work and defends against complacency.
Fifth, sometimes our own mortality is the scarce resource. Awareness of our mortality will help us identify and groom successors. Moses groomed Joshua. Paul groomed Timothy and Titus. Jesus groomed the disciples. Since we will all die, the only time to really influence what will be done with accumulated wealth and knowledge is to do it now.
Sixth, there is a risk in humans to associate too much of ourselves in what we do at work; we self-identify with our work. Accordingly, the thought of pruning the business may be frightening to consider. God does not want you to become what you do, He wants you to become like Jesus, and fear has no place in the process.
Finally, when leaders tackle an obdurate problem and make choices to prune certain aspects of the business, the outcome is uncertain. Somewhere down the road at the end of the series of steps being taken is either victory or surrender. A distinctively Christian business leader, however, knows that God’s hand is involved in the process and God is aware of the conclusion before us. It is comforting to remember God’s pruning is always for our good, of this there’s no doubt.
by Donald | Mar 6, 2013 | Blog
“When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’” (Matthew 11:2).
Obduracy is stubbornness with a dash of meanness added to achieve just the right flavor; it is obstinacy with a malicious edge. I have struggled with an obdurate problem in my business for well over a year and yesterday more grim news came with respect to our situation; achieving a measure of balance during the day was difficult—I do not think I ever really regained my footing. As the day wore on, so did my feelings of grimness and grief.
Not that there weren’t moments of really good news—for example, our sales last week were higher than I had hoped and I am close to resolution on one (not the obdurate one) sticky problem; personally, my three years old daughter said some really cute and precious things and my eight years old daughter with Down Syndrome earned an A+ on her reading test. But the obdurate problem hovered around me the entire day.
A person armed with an umbrella and a raincoat still hopes to get out of the rain sometime.
Luke 18:1-8 reminds us to keep on praying. 2 Corinthians 12:8-11 informs us that though we struggle with obdurate problems, and even though our hoped for solution is not forthcoming, yet we receive God’s grace. I sometimes wonder, hearing Paul’s response, where he learned that God’s grace truly was sufficient?
I’d like to be in Paul’s camp when it comes to living within an obdurate problem because his words reveal peace and victory in spite of circumstances. That’s why they are in the Bible—right? Paul reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient. Jesus reminds us that God is good and hears every single one of our prayers and petitions and does not ignore them but responds to them in His Goodness.
Intellectually I agree with Paul. In my heart, I agree with Jesus. In my humanness, I hurt and am frustrated. I would like to be able to occasionally take off this stinking raincoat and lay down this stupid umbrella. I look out my window at today’s forecast: rain.
What to do? Gene Kelly sang in the rain—he went skipping and jumping in the rain because of love.
Steven Covey taught we should begin with the end in mind. 2 Corinthians, the book where in chapter 12 Paul described his thrice-prayed over problem, begins with these words: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (1:3-4).
Truth be told, I don’t feel like singing. However, I can endure. Today, I will pay attention to my obdurate problem because I must face its ugly nature and work to solve it. But I will also make it a point—an urgent task—to take stock of the good things coming my way today.
Is the cup half empty or half full? It is both, but I can live with that.
