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Don’t Rest On Your Laurels

February 12, 2018

Søren Kierkegaard–The path of an honest fighter is a difficult one. And when the fighter grows cool in the evening of his life this is still no excuse to retire into games and amusement. Whoever remains faithful to his decision will realize that his whole life is a struggle. Such a person does not fall into the temptation of proudly telling others of what he has done with his life. Nor will he talk about the “great decisions” he has made. He knows full well that at decisive moments you have to renew your resolve again and again and that this alone makes good the decision and the decision good.

Who have been people older than you that you respect?

Probably not people full of pride. Nor people who boast of supposed accomplishments.

Nor is there retirement from a life spent living with-God.

Kierkegaard was a precursor to the people we knew as existentialists. At university perhaps my favorite was Albert Camus, the French writer who gave us The Rebel. Playing off fellow French writer Descartes (“I think, therefore I am.”), Camus said, “I rebel, therefore I am.”

They saw humans as defining their lives through their major decisions–or maybe even decisions that we may have thought were minor but turned out to be major. “I’ll just have one little drink…”

There is no one decision and then coasting–an idea easily picked up from certain theologies. Life is a never-ending series of challenges and opportunities forcing us to make yet another decision.

But that is not Sisyphus continually pushing a stone. It’s life with-God.

Posted in Disciplines, Living | Leave a Comment »

Sunshine Blogger Award

February 10, 2018

I have no idea what that award is, but I appreciate being noticed by Ashwarya Angadi. She is an engineer and a blogger “Beauty and Smiles”. Who would have thought of that combination? Oh, maybe I know. Anyway, thanks. Go check her blog out. I don’t get into these memes here or on other social media. Maybe too reserved 😉

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Ethics Count

February 9, 2018

Much of my career was devoted to selling products and making a profit. I worked in product development trying to figure out better ways to provide a product that would enrich the lives of our customers. I became an expert in cost analysis–figuring out how and where to improve the cost structure without impacting the quality of the product.

I also learned marketing and later earned a nice income thanks to advertising.

What, you may be asking, does this have to do with venturing into the world in faith?

This article in The New York Times (I forget if I link to an article if you can see it without a subscription, but check it out however you can) about a South American country which has had enough with its (ahem) growing problem with obesity. “In Sweeping War on Obesity, Chile Slays Tony the Tiger; New regulations, which corporate interests delayed for almost a decade,require explicit labeling and limit the marketing of sugary foods to children.”

The industry fought the regulations for a decade. It still contends that regulations are confusing and unnecessary. We should just have consumer education.

Education? What? We provide a few poorly written booklets about the evils of eating too much sugar while the industry spends billions on researching the best advertising techniques to sway people to pick up the box and how to add enough sugar to the product to addict people? We went down that road with tobacco.

Obesity is a huge drain on finances and a country’s economy. It also ruins lives.

Then we find out it’s not just physical health with its addictive properties. New information is exploding about the mental and emotional addiction from the social media giants. Their goal is to get people to spend more time on their apps so that they can 1) serve up more ads and 2) collect more information about you so that 1) they can serve up more ads (and sell your information).

It’s hard to have the strength to say no to Tony the Tiger, Chester Cheetah, Facebook, and Instagram.

But somewhere in the corporate world there needs to be a voice of conscience. Someone who says, morals count. Surely we can find a way to earn an honest living and live a moral and ethical life. My studies currently are in Romans 12. Paul lists 29 ways for us to live a moral, Christian life. (To my many friends who are not Christian–your religion has similar morality. It works for us all.)

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Praying for the Right Thing

February 8, 2018

The interviewer asked his guest who was promoting his book on mindfulness what his teacher thought was the most important thing for people. “Discernment,” he answered.

Reading in Romans (chapter 12), Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God–what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Solomon prayed to God upon becoming King of Israel at a rather young age. God looked with favor on him and granted him one wish. “Wisdom,” said Solomon, “I wish for wisdom.” You have chosen well, said God, and so be it.

Solomon was reputed to be the wisest man who ever lived. Read Proverbs.

However, at the end of his life, Solomon looked back and said that everything was meaningless. Read the end of Ecclesiastes. I think perhaps Solomon regretted not having discernment. He may have been wise, and he talked often of bringing up young men. But his son destroyed the kingdom shortly after assuming power.

Discernment requires the renewing of our minds–constant learning. Being open to changing if we’re wrong. Rejecting old teaching when we learn something new from God.

It requires observing and listening and casting off our preconceived prejudices to allow room for God to speak into our openness. It requires a certain space–time and distance.

And sometimes I think that God does not give us the final answer immediately. Perhaps there are steps along the way where we experience one thing for a season of growth and then God tells us to move on to the next season of growth. We need to be open to discern what God is telling us.

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Meditation Can Change Your Life

February 7, 2018

Psychologists and therapists have discovered en masse “mindfulness” during the last few years.

There is a reason. It is good for your mental, spiritual, and physical health.

It literally rewires your brain. It helps grow new neurons, divert others, and add to the fatty layers between the neurons.

People will notice the change in you. Warning–not after one day. Or one week. Maybe a little after a month. It does take time. It is a spiritual discipline.

The change–you will calm down and gain perspective.

Meditation practiced daily for at least 15 minutes (best is twice per day) reduces stress. This helps reduce inflammation in the body which is a cause or contributor of many diseases.

I’m thinking about this after listening to a podcast interview with a guy who has written a book. I scanned the book–don’t recommend it. Just not helpful. But in his conversation, he talked about being meditation teacher to all manner of celebrities. I thought, heck, I know at least as much as what he’s talking about as a 40+ year practitioner. I could teach celebrities.

Then I realized where I live. The last time a celebrity came through town was probably when Rob Lowe visited his grandfather. Well, unless it was someone on tour and their custom motor home traveled on I-75. <sigh>

Americans associate meditation and mindfulness with either New Age or Buddhism. And those people do meditate. But there is a Christian tradition of meditation for enlightenment and experience of God that stretches back to the very beginnings of the faith. I have a shelf in my bookcase devoted to the writings of the Desert Fathers and many other “mystics”. I can testify that you can experience God if you devote yourself to that sort of meditation.

But the practice is not esoteric. You can sit, stand, walk, lie. You can close your eyes or leave them open (especially if you’re walking). You can repeat a word (mantra), or not. (I use “God”, the Hindu tradition is “Om” plus a bunch of other sounds, you can try “Love”.) You can imagine a scene in your mind. Perhaps walking through a meadow in a woods and finding a secret garden where you sit and bask in the warm sun. Or just sit quietly and breathe.

Try it. It’ll change your life.

Posted in Disciplines, Meditation | 2 Comments »

Do This In Order To Understand

February 5, 2018

Søren Kierkegaard — Christ says: Do according to what I say – then you shall know. Consequently, decisive action first of all. By acting, your life will come into collision with existence, and then you will know the reality of grace. Nowadays we have turned the whole thing around. Christianity has become a worldview. Thus, before I get involved I must first justify it. Good night to Christianity!

Peter delivers a major evangelistic sermon reported in Acts 2. On the day of Pentacost when the followers of Jesus were given the power of the Holy Spirit, they attracted the attention of crowds of people who had traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.

Peter preached about the resurrection of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins. It was a moving and powerful sermon. It lacked one thing a great speech of this type needs–a call to action. There must be a “to do” or a “so what” to conclude. But the people listening supplied the question, “So what should we do?” they asked.

“Repent and be baptized,” Peter said.

There is something to do.

Paul wrote to the Romans (chapter 12) after talking about grace and the unity of Jew and Gentile, goes into a list 29 items long telling us how to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. A “to do” list.

I’m reading a psychologist currently. Just started the book. Chapter One–stand up straight. Change your posture and change your life.

We know that we can often act our way into believing, or act our way into changing our attitude. When we perform an action repeatedly, it becomes a habit. And a habit defines us. It pays rich dividends to choose our actions wisely.

Posted in Attitude, Disciplines, Doing | Leave a Comment »

The Gentle Art of Asking

February 2, 2018

How about you? Do you feel like you know everything you need to know?

Whether you are in business or ministry or family–do you have all the answers?

Edgar H. Schein writes in his book, “Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling,” that many people would rather fail than admit their dependency on another person.

How about succeeding together?

Try Humble Inquiry. Asking questions implies that someone knows something I don’t–even if they are a subordinate, or younger than I, or from a different background. I must humble myself to ask someone placing myself in a position of learner to someone superior to me in this situation. It is the opposite of what we are taught in our culture which places emphasis on telling.

I’ve talked often about the skills of listening. Often we need to ask questions to elicit something to listen to.

Schein says, “The kind of inquiry I am talking about derives from an attitude of interest and curiosity. It implies a desire to build a relationship.”

We must slow down to ask and then listen.

Again Schein says, “I find that the biggest mistakes I make and the biggest risks I run all result from a mindless hurrying. If I hurry, I do not pay enough attention to what is going on, and that makes mistakes more likely. More importantly, if I hurry, I do not observe new possibilities.”

He points out in our “Do and Tell” culture, the most important thing we need to learn is to reflect. Before doing something, apply Humble Inquiry to yourself. “Ask ourselves: What is going on here? What would be the appropriate thing to do (Wow, there are hundreds of men right now who wish they had asked themselves that question)? On whom am I dependent? Who is dependent upon me?”

In other words, become more mindful.

“The toughest relearning, or new learning, is for leaders to discover their dependence on their subordinates, to embrace Here-and-now Humility, and to build relationships of high trust and valid communication with their subordinates.”

Schein was an MIT professor and business consultant. You can substitute parent for leader and use the ideas in family. Pastor for leader and transform a church.

Read and digest the book. It’s short and not technical. Good read.

Posted in Attitude, communication, Disciplines, Humility | 1 Comment »

God Is Not Hidden Nor Does He Hide His Wisdom

February 1, 2018

I have not spoken in secret or kept my purpose hidden. I did not require the people of Israel to look for me in a desolate waste. I am the Lord, and I speak the truth; I make known what is right. Isaiah 45:19, TEV

James, the brother of Jesus and the wisdom writer of the New Testament, advised us that we can just ask God for wisdom and he will provide.

Can it really be that easy? We don’t need a special spiritual guide to initiate us into a secret society where the hidden truths are finally revealed?

Digest the words from Isaiah. God didn’t (doesn’t) hide from us. We don’t have to search in remote places. No, we don’t have to go to Sedona, AZ at the right phase of the moon to find God.

We just need the intention–we ask with intention for wisdom. It is best to ask also for discernment so that we can apply wisdom correctly.

If we but ask God daily for guidance, we can perhaps avoid the problems and wasted life of Solomon. He who asked God for wisdom and had it granted, failed to live his life as a wise man would. I’ve just finished my annual reading of his wisdom sayings, the Proverbs. But look at his reflections of his life in Ecclesiastes. All was meaningless, he said, because he failed daily to follow God.

God was not hidden. He’s right here beside us willing to enter our life. We can have wisdom and live a life of wisdom if we but just open ourselves.

“I am the Lord, and I speak the truth; I make known what is right.”

Posted in Disciplines, Intention, Living | 1 Comment »

A Month of Proverbs

January 31, 2018

31 days in January; 31 chapters worth of Proverbs.

What did I learn?

Intentionally re-reading something provides ever deeper insights.

Wise people don’t think of themselves as all that wise. They are always open to correction, instruction, and learning.

There is a chance for foolish people to turn their lives around if only they would begin to listen to wise teaching.

There is little hope for the scoffer. Those cynics who ascribe everything to self-serving motives. Those who refuse to acknowledge God. Those who try to bring everyone down to their level.

Young men (probably old ones, too) should beware women who are out to seduce them. Adultery, profligate sexual activity, affairs are to be avoided as they will lead to ruin.

While a contentious wife is like the dripping of rain, Proverbs ends with a picture of a conscientious wife who should be praised in “the assembly”.

If Solomon had followed his own advice, would the kingdom have split because of his son?

How much better would our own lives be if we brought this wisdom into our daily lives?

[Oh, and I do a lot of writing on my iPad. I’ve learned yet again that all that artificial intelligence employed to figure out what I’m trying to say and then complete words for me before I type them needs a watchful human to check them. Artificial intelligence is, well, artificial.]

Posted in Disciplines, Ethics, Learning, Study | Leave a Comment »

We Were There When

January 30, 2018

Yesterday I talked about the encounter of the rich young man with Jesus from the point of view of a preacher who is making a point. As Eoin so aptly pointed out in the comments, the story goes much deeper into emotional response of both Jesus to the man and the man to Jesus.

Sit in contemplation and cast yourself back to the scene.

We are crowded around Jesus as we follow him through the villages and along the countryside. There are perhaps a couple of hundred of us. We give Jesus a little space, but we have this deep need to be close enough to hear what he says and see what he does.

A young man approaches. We let him through. He is apparently a seeker. About him is the appearance of wealth and the confidence that comes from a comfortable upbringing. Yet, there also is a sense that he is troubled.

Jesus sees him. But Jesus never just “sees” someone. He doesn’t look at you; he looks into people. He sees through facade. He sees the heart.

He stops, gives the young man his complete attention with appearance deeper than welcoming, acceptance–it was that look of deep compassion and love he had for true spiritual seekers.

“What must I do to have eternal life?” the man asked.

Good question. All of us were asking the same question.

Jesus gave him the standard rabbi answers about following the commandments. The young man said he had, yet still he lacked assurance of eternal life.

Jesus said that he still had something missing. He must give away all his wealth to the poor and then come and join us as we followed Jesus. And the man was crushed. He lowered his head, returned to his entourage, and left.

We all gasped. What? Isn’t wealth a sign of God’s blessing? What does this mean?

Even one of the leaders asked Jesus what we were all thinking–if a rich person doesn’t automatically have eternal life, who can?

Jesus told us that it is hard. But that we should just follow him. Yes, wasn’t that his constant invitation? Isn’t that what we all had done? We’ve left everything behind to follow this man.

Yet, we still were thinking about Jesus, “Just who is this man?”