I recently participated in a study of wisdom based on the book of Proverbs. One thing I learned is that wisdom is all around us, but we need to play a part in searching for it. That sounds like a wise thing to do.
Proverbs is full of many insightful comments that apply to a vast variety of areas in life. There’s no way I could ever memorize all these little pieces of wisdom, but as I study them all together I realize that like the topics Proverbs covers, wisdom is found in a vast variety of areas.
As I have finished up my study of Proverbs I have come to reflect on how the study changed me as a person in this encounter with this book of wisdom. I have realized that it could be very easy to say, “Oh that was a great study,” then walk away and never think about it again. However, I’m convinced that wouldn’t wise. Instead, I intend to be changed due to my encounter with God’s Word; I desire to continue to intentionally search for the treasure that is wisdom. As I embark on this adventure I expect that God will journey with me giving me what I seek as I can handle it along the way and growing me in the entire process.
Wisdom is not just for anyone. Yes, it is available to all, but only the wise, with God’s grace, will seek it out or even recognize when they encounter it. I challenge you to be one of the wise that seeks wisdom. Don’t ignore it or let it pass you by. “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:2-5).
Monday, February 25, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Passions Regained
I recently went camping at Joshua Tree National Park. I grew up in the sagebrush strewn desert of Northern Nevada and often visited the picturesque desert of Arizona where my grandparents lived; the desert remains very much a part of me and holds to be something deep and inexplicable within.
As my wife and I started nearing the park and I began seeing the beautiful desert landscape around me, something awoke inside. I felt memories of childhood flood into my mind. A sense of adventure arose within me. I felt a desire to explore and run and climb. I felt a peace like returning to the home you grew up in. I felt a joy that made me want to burst in deep felt laughter. I felt both like a playful child and a mature, solemn adult reflecting on life all the same time.
I was a little surprised to be feeling this sudden surge of passion and desire. It causes me to ask some questions. Where was that passion hiding before I drove out the desert? Exactly why did the desert serve as a trigger to bring it up? Could something have served to awaken these hidden passions?
I wonder if passions in the rest of my life work in a similar way. I so often walk around going through the day to day of life with little or no passion. Perhaps there are some hidden within me just waiting for some a gateway through which they can be released. If so, what are those gateways and how can I tap into them? Will it always take another trip to the desert for me to feel alive?
Now please don’t hear me wrong. Each day is filled with its own adventures and passions, but it’s also easy to lose those things in the mundane and stressful journey of just making it through life. If I lived my life through the passions I felt arise while visiting the desert I’m convinced my life would look much different.
I intend to be intentional about seeking God in opening me to the passions He has created within me. I want to live life to the fullest and in such a way that I feel fully alive each day, not just partly. I want to reflect God’s glory in such a way that the only explanation is His touching my life.
What about you? Where are your passions? Have they dissipated into the air of life? If so, what are you going to do to regain those passionate gifts God has bestowed upon you? Run to your desert, wherever it may be; with God's grace your passions will be found.
As my wife and I started nearing the park and I began seeing the beautiful desert landscape around me, something awoke inside. I felt memories of childhood flood into my mind. A sense of adventure arose within me. I felt a desire to explore and run and climb. I felt a peace like returning to the home you grew up in. I felt a joy that made me want to burst in deep felt laughter. I felt both like a playful child and a mature, solemn adult reflecting on life all the same time.
I was a little surprised to be feeling this sudden surge of passion and desire. It causes me to ask some questions. Where was that passion hiding before I drove out the desert? Exactly why did the desert serve as a trigger to bring it up? Could something have served to awaken these hidden passions?
I wonder if passions in the rest of my life work in a similar way. I so often walk around going through the day to day of life with little or no passion. Perhaps there are some hidden within me just waiting for some a gateway through which they can be released. If so, what are those gateways and how can I tap into them? Will it always take another trip to the desert for me to feel alive?
Now please don’t hear me wrong. Each day is filled with its own adventures and passions, but it’s also easy to lose those things in the mundane and stressful journey of just making it through life. If I lived my life through the passions I felt arise while visiting the desert I’m convinced my life would look much different.
I intend to be intentional about seeking God in opening me to the passions He has created within me. I want to live life to the fullest and in such a way that I feel fully alive each day, not just partly. I want to reflect God’s glory in such a way that the only explanation is His touching my life.
What about you? Where are your passions? Have they dissipated into the air of life? If so, what are you going to do to regain those passionate gifts God has bestowed upon you? Run to your desert, wherever it may be; with God's grace your passions will be found.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Servant Leader
Have you ever really considered the fact that Jesus washed his disciples’ feet at the last Supper? Yes, I know we all know the story, but actually think about it. Imagine yourself there. What would it be like to have Jesus ask to wash your feet?
Have you ever washed someone’s feet yourself? I have. It’s not something easy to do because it is very humbling. Have you ever had your feet washed by someone else? That is even tougher for me. I can’t say exactly why, but having someone on the ground at my feet washing them is just tough for me to accept. I understand Peter’s reaction to Jesus when initially he didn’t want his feet washed by him.
So why did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet. He was the leader of these men. They had followed him to all sorts of places and in all sorts of situations. He obviously had their trust and their devotion. He didn’t wash their feet to gain that. What was he trying to communicate to them?
What does it actually mean to lead someone? Does it have to involve force and power? Can someone lead simply through service? Was Jesus a leader? How about Mother Theresa? How about you?
I don’t have the answers to how the idea of the Servant Leader works, but I do have an intuitive sense that leading someone by serving them, in essence loving them, is effective and makes an impact. The world is full of so many leaders, but are they all good? Is the world full of just as many servants?
How about you? Are you a leader? Are you a servant? Are you both? Are you willing to humble yourself to wash someone’s feet? Are you willing to humble yourself to have your feet washed?
I know that both serving and leading are difficult, but I believe that God calls us to both. I find myself wondering how God will continue to allow such qualities to play out in my life in the day to day. Obviously I have many questions about how I can both lead and serve others at the same time, but I hold the belief that it is possible and serves as a powerful way to impact others. I pray that you will also seek God on how he is using you as both a servant and a leader.
Have you ever washed someone’s feet yourself? I have. It’s not something easy to do because it is very humbling. Have you ever had your feet washed by someone else? That is even tougher for me. I can’t say exactly why, but having someone on the ground at my feet washing them is just tough for me to accept. I understand Peter’s reaction to Jesus when initially he didn’t want his feet washed by him.
So why did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet. He was the leader of these men. They had followed him to all sorts of places and in all sorts of situations. He obviously had their trust and their devotion. He didn’t wash their feet to gain that. What was he trying to communicate to them?
What does it actually mean to lead someone? Does it have to involve force and power? Can someone lead simply through service? Was Jesus a leader? How about Mother Theresa? How about you?
I don’t have the answers to how the idea of the Servant Leader works, but I do have an intuitive sense that leading someone by serving them, in essence loving them, is effective and makes an impact. The world is full of so many leaders, but are they all good? Is the world full of just as many servants?
How about you? Are you a leader? Are you a servant? Are you both? Are you willing to humble yourself to wash someone’s feet? Are you willing to humble yourself to have your feet washed?
I know that both serving and leading are difficult, but I believe that God calls us to both. I find myself wondering how God will continue to allow such qualities to play out in my life in the day to day. Obviously I have many questions about how I can both lead and serve others at the same time, but I hold the belief that it is possible and serves as a powerful way to impact others. I pray that you will also seek God on how he is using you as both a servant and a leader.
Monday, February 11, 2008
What Will it Take?
God has really been challenging me to live life contently. This is so tough for me. I am engrossed by the consumerism culture we live in. I constantly find myself thinking about cars I’d like to have, homes I’d like to live in, new gadgets I want, prestigious and high paying jobs I’d love to hold. I want the life every American is claimed to want, but when I take a step back from my constant daydreams of that lifestyle I wonder if that life would really make me happy. If I really had all those things, would I be content? If not, what would it take? Will the next car do it? How about earning more money? How about my next vacation? What will it take?
In the last couple of weeks God has allowed me to experience various highs and lows. About a week and a half ago I was stuck at home sick. I’m a stubborn person when it comes to sickness and typically refuse to stay home from work, but due to feeling pretty bad and a high suspicion of contagiousness I made the choice to stay home from work. I was miserable during this journey of staying home. In the midst of burning fever coming and going, and what felt like a throat full of glass, I found myself having a conversation with God about contentment. Even while I felt horrible, was I willing to be content with God and life? I leave my answer at this: I was challenged.
Of course this is not a new concept. This is exactly the same topic the Great King Solomon of Israel addresses in Ecclesiastes. His conclusion is that despite all life’s pleasures and disappointments God is the only fulfilling thing. There. Now we all have learned the lesson, right?
I certainly have not. Even as I sit on a plane returning from an amazing vacation with family, skiing and witnessing breathtaking views of snow blanketed wilderness I find myself daydreaming about new cars, places to live, more pay, and new gadgets…
So is living in contentment hopeless? Despite my constant daydreaming for more material things, I’m convinced it is not. However, we are all in some sort of process of looking to God for our ultimate contentment. Sometimes we’ll experience that more and sometimes we’ll experience it less, but let’s make the choice to grow. Let’s choose to say consumerism no more. To say that when I get the cool new toy I’ve been saving up for I will not allow myself to be trapped in the allure of being at last temporally satisfied with life. For life is about so much more than that next thing.
So take a couple minutes to ask yourself what will it take…what will it take for you to be satisfied? You may be surprised at the conversation with God that develops.
In the last couple of weeks God has allowed me to experience various highs and lows. About a week and a half ago I was stuck at home sick. I’m a stubborn person when it comes to sickness and typically refuse to stay home from work, but due to feeling pretty bad and a high suspicion of contagiousness I made the choice to stay home from work. I was miserable during this journey of staying home. In the midst of burning fever coming and going, and what felt like a throat full of glass, I found myself having a conversation with God about contentment. Even while I felt horrible, was I willing to be content with God and life? I leave my answer at this: I was challenged.
Of course this is not a new concept. This is exactly the same topic the Great King Solomon of Israel addresses in Ecclesiastes. His conclusion is that despite all life’s pleasures and disappointments God is the only fulfilling thing. There. Now we all have learned the lesson, right?
I certainly have not. Even as I sit on a plane returning from an amazing vacation with family, skiing and witnessing breathtaking views of snow blanketed wilderness I find myself daydreaming about new cars, places to live, more pay, and new gadgets…
So is living in contentment hopeless? Despite my constant daydreaming for more material things, I’m convinced it is not. However, we are all in some sort of process of looking to God for our ultimate contentment. Sometimes we’ll experience that more and sometimes we’ll experience it less, but let’s make the choice to grow. Let’s choose to say consumerism no more. To say that when I get the cool new toy I’ve been saving up for I will not allow myself to be trapped in the allure of being at last temporally satisfied with life. For life is about so much more than that next thing.
So take a couple minutes to ask yourself what will it take…what will it take for you to be satisfied? You may be surprised at the conversation with God that develops.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)