Faith Venture

What Does It Mean to be Disciplined

June 3, 2011

Going through my independence-seeking years of late adolescence, I thought of discipline as a verb. The sense was someone was forcing you to do something–you were being disciplined. Discipline became a metaphorical straight-jacket where you were constrained. Your freedom was curtailed. You were at the mercy of someone else.

My favorite writer on living a life of simplicity, Leo Babauta, thinks of discipline as a set of habits (he recently published an ebook on habits, so it’s on his mind). I think there is a relationship between discipline and habits, but they are not the same thing.

What life has taught me is that you will accomplish very little without discipline. Practicing spiritual disciplines (before I knew they had been named) and then studying Richard Foster (Celebration of Discipline) and Dallas Willard (The Spirit of the Disciplines) has led to experience and knowledge of the power of discipline.

But I don’t consider “self-discipline” the same thing as “will power” either. You can’t really force yourself into discipline.

Discipline rightly understood is the self-directed choice of certain habits that lead you toward a goal–and for most of us, the goal is that of a fulfilled life.

I’m thinking about this, because I’m developing a course on spiritual discipline. But not as an educational, mental, theoretical exercise. Rather more it would be a leading of people into understanding and practicing a life of spiritual discipline.

You could begin practicing right now. In fact, you may already be doing it. Maybe you just need to be aware so that you do it consciously. Some spiritual disciplines include prayer, meditation, study, service, worship.

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Is Ignorance an Excuse

June 2, 2011

I guess I’ll stay on the hot news topic for another analysis. I’m still reading a little about Jim Tressel, the recently ousted football coach at The Ohio State University. Seems according to Sports Illustrated magazine that Tressel has a history of problems with players breaking the rules but has always pleaded ignorance. But things usually come out and it seems that Tressel did know about the latest transgressions and chose to not tell anyone.

This isn’t about football, OSU, the NCAA (the governing body of college athletics–for whom I have little respect), or even Tressel himself. The issue is something we all face–do we acknowledge when we have done wrong and take the consequences or do we plead ignorance and try to avoid blame?

“I didn’t know that was wrong.” “What? You mean I shouldn’t have done that?” “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”

Ever try one of those? The story of Ananias and Sapphira in The Acts comes to mind. They thought they could feign ignorance and hide facts from their community and from God. They were found out.

In the end, we’re all found out. Ethics is hard. We make decisions many times a day that determine how our life will play out. Sometimes it’s easy to pretend we don’t know. But it all catches up to us.

I guess we can look at the travails of the guy who was the highest-paid state employee and take delight in his discomfort–or rush to defend.

The issue isn’t Tressel. It’s us. You and me. Will our next decision be one that we’d be proud for our grandmothers to know about? Can we face God and say we honestly tried to do right?

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Lack of Ethics Always Catches Up

May 31, 2011

I spent my 24th straight Memorial Day weekend in Dayton, Ohio at a huge youth soccer tournament. This year for the most part I was mentoring and assessing the performance of many younger referees. There are so many people stories when you gather thousands together in a competitive atmosphere.

But, I live in Ohio. In the middle of Ohio State University Buckeye fanatic territory. I’m not a fan–of OSU or college football in general–but you can’t escape it. And you can’t escape the big news of the weekend. Ultra successful football coach Jim Tressell has resigned in the face of potential harsh sanctions from the athletic “governing body” the NCAA. Why? What we know right now (more probably coming) is that he knew that his star quarterback and several other stars were violating NCAA rules. He knew and he kept quiet. With them, he had almost a national championship year, a Big Ten conference championship, and the potential for further fame, glory and money.

It’s tough being a person. It’s tough being ethical. All of us face issues every day. It’s often around sex, money or power. I appreciate the irony of the politician or religious leader who has been preaching “values” only to be undone by personal weakness. No one is immune.

We’ve lived through many years of blaming it on the environment. That’s when I parted ways with “liberals”–when they embraced the idea of blaming things on something or someone else. Yes, parents can screw up a kid. But many people grow up to be productive, ethical people despite a rough childhood.

Seth Godin is a marketing guru. But he hits on some pithy observations. Here’s a quote from a recent blog post:

A door is not responsible if it swings and hits you in the nose. Neither is the hand of the guy who punched you.

Philosphers and lawyers talk about agency. Responsibility comes with the capacity to act in the world. If you can decide, if you can act, you have agency.Life without agency would be a nightmare. Trapped in a box, unable to do anything by choice, nothing but a puppet…

Why then, do organizations and individuals struggle so intently to avoid the responsibility that comes with agency? “It’s not my job, my boss won’t let me, there’s a federal regulation, we’re prohibited, it’s our supplier, that’s our policy…”

It’s not something you can turn on or off. Either you have the capacity to act in the world. Or you don’t.

You are an agent. Responsible for your decisions and actions. Take that responsibility and behave according to your faith. I think every one of Jesus’ encounters with people dealt with some measure of taking responsibility and behaving ethically. Do likewise–even if it is darn hard.

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Listening as Understanding Others

May 23, 2011

Jesus always seemed to know about the people he encountered. He got into the heart of the “rich, young ruler.” He knew the faith of those who came to him asking for healing. I’m thinking about the Samaritan woman he encountered at the well. He knew exactly the hole in her heart.

The question is, do we have that capability? Do you know someone who always seems sensitive to the needs of others? Do you harbor just a little envy about their ability? Are some people just born that way?

I don’t know if listening qualifies as one of Richard Foster’s spiritual disciplines, but it is an essential ingredient. My last post contained some thoughts on focus and attention. Today, I’m thinking about leaving your life–your worries, needs, wish for recognition, need to talk–and becoming part of someone else’s life.

By emptying yourself, you can enter someone’s life. Listen to their needs and desires. Find the wound that needs healing and the joy that needs to be celebrated. Jesus did both. He healed and he celebrated. He confronted people portraying themselves as something they weren’t. But he did it by understanding each person and their specific needs.

We can do that too. We can heal people. Maybe not spectacular physical healings (but, who knows?). But surely we can heal emotional wounds. We can build up people. We can introduce them to a spiritual reality that will help them fulfill their lives.

We do that by first really listening to them. And understanding. It’s a discipline–that is, a habit you develop on purpose because that’s the kind of person you want to be.

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Focus, Attention Aid Listening

May 20, 2011

To be able to balance on one foot as we teach in Yoga, the key isn’t balance itself. Or even thinking about balance. The key is to empty your mind, focus on a stationary point and place all your attention on that point. As in all Yoga poses, you also must attend to your breath. You must train yourself to breathe in a slow, rhythmic pace.

It occurred to me recently while teaching a new student how to balance, that listening requires many of the same attributes. Emptying your mind, for example. If your mind is full of thoughts there is no room for a new thought that might come from the person, reading or God to whom you should be listening.

Do you know the phenomenon called reflecting? I know someone who does this–a lot. He says something to you and then “hears” you say it. Then he tells others you said something, when in fact, he said it. That is disconcerting to the other person. Why does that happen? The “hearer” is actually so wrapped up in him/her self that listening never occurs.

Try this the next time you are in conversation with a person–or with God. Take a deep breath. Exhale. Clear your mind of thoughts. Focus on the person or on God. Place all your attention there. You’ll be amazed at the results. You may learn something new. You may change your life.

Posted in Listening, Living, Prayer | 1 Comment »

What Does Your Life Say About You

May 19, 2011

Dallas Willard was the first to plainly state what I suspected about the first Christians–that they actually did live differently from their neighbors. The power of the Spirit so infused and ordered their lives that other people noticed and many were attracted to this new religious movement.

In America, we too often live our lives with bumper-sticker phrases when we should be actually living in the Spirit minute-by-minute. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s 25 years of refereeing soccer at some pretty high levels, but I’ve become quite observant of people. And I puzzle out motivations and actions.

So when recently stuck in a long line of traffic headed for an event at a venue where access is congested by design (or lack thereof) I notice an expensive, white Mercedes with the license plate “BORN 2X” I presume the driver/owner is a self-proclaimed Christian. After all, I had just read the story in John about Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus and the born of water and born of Spirit discussion.

So I watch to see if the driver exhibits Christian tendencies. You decide (if you know how to drive in traffic, it will help you understand).

Traffic is backed up for two miles on the freeway because of congestion at the intersection at the end of the exit ramp. One reason for the congestion is that people are in a hurry to get through, so they block the intersection by going through a yellow-changing-to-red traffic light but can’t make it and so block traffic.

This white Mercedes driver decides that waiting in the line is too long and switches to the left lane. That’s OK. Except when we reach the intersection, he makes an illegal right turn on red. But traffic is backed up, so he now block four lanes of traffic.

Ten minutes and 400 meters later, I notice that car on my left as I pass it. He gained nothing trying to press an advantage. And that advantage pushed other people back.

So, I ask myself, what life is he proclaiming? What life do you proclaim? Do you so order your life that it is attractive to others who would like what you have?

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Beware the self-righteous personality

May 17, 2011

I’ve been thinking about Jesus and the various personalities of people he dealt with. There were people who were probably “pagan” with strong personalities but who had strong belief that Jesus could heal. There were seekers from the woman with abnormal menstruation (so she was unclean) to the “rich, young ruler”.

Look at his closest followers. There was the strong but impetuous Simon. The wealthy and spiritual John and his brother James. “Doubting” Thomas. Mixed up Judas. Yes, he even seemed to deal sympathetically with Judas as he betrayed him.

There was one personality type that Jesus pointedly, and repeatedly, argued against. And we still see way too much of that personality type today. Even as today’s iteration of the type espouses Jesus as their leader (I think that’s called irony). It’s the type that I have the most difficulty with in my personal interactions.

That type is those who are self-righteous. “We know the truth and the way to live. We’ll tell you how. We’ll tell you all the stuff you do wrong. We’ll tell you how to avoid condemnation.” It’s an “us against them” attitude toward others. Willow Creek Community Church Teaching Pastor Darrin Whitehead calls them obstacles to leading people to Jesus. That is, people who need Jesus are so put off by the Pharisees among us that they stay away from help.

I actually was so amazed at this personality type and how these people could hold opinions in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary that I devoted several years to studying personality, brain physiology and mind/body interaction. The result was that I learned what every good salesperson intuitively knows–you can’t change the minds of this type of person through ordinary means. Look at Jesus. He probably only converted a few Pharisees. They can only be taught love and Jesus when they have a life-changing event of meeting the living Jesus.

But, that may be all of us. What are you doing to build a relationship with Jesus rather than a body of opinions about him?

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Do You Have a Christian Personality

May 12, 2011

Can you get along with people who have a different personality from you?

I used to think in terms of theology to define different types of Christians. Then I began to study personality seriously. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that the differences are more personality than theology.

On the Myers-Briggs Types Indicator I am an ENTP (extroverted, intuitive, thinking, perceptive). Once I was talking to a pastor who was on an Emmaus Walk team. The entire team took the types indicator test to see how they could work together. All members of the team were FJ (feeling, judgmental) rather than TP. When I told him I was TP, he said, “How can you call yourself a Christian?”

Well, the answer to that question is easy. I am a “Christ follower.” But that led me to study personality even deeper.

Less theology, I think some people’s personality characteristics guide them into needing feelings of security, certainty. These are probably more likely to be theologically conservative. Tell me what to believe, I’ll believe it, I now feel the certainty of salvation.

Other people are open to new people, new experiences, new ideas. Life is a learning experience and sort of an experiment. They like different forms of worship. They are open to embracing a wider variety of people.

If you are very far along the intuitive scale, you may prefer quiet, meditative worship. Another personality type likes loud music and boisterous celebration. Another prefers the structure of a traditional worship experience.

Are any of these right? Yes. They are all right. I think the key is understanding that different people are different. The important thing is are they following Jesus, not how are they following Jesus.

I got into the Myers-Briggs early. But later I studied the Enneagram. I just read an essay from Donald Miller where he discusses using the Enneagram to understand his liberal and his conservative Christian friends.

I think understanding is key. But, then, I’m the second type I described earlier 😉

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Don’t Underestimate Your Influence

May 11, 2011

You are more influential than you may think. People are always watching and listening to you. Are you being what you profess?

Jesus knew that. We don’t really know how many committed followers he left behind after his ascension. But he knew that their influence would eventually influence the entire world.

My “day job” entails writing about manufacturing and automation. I interview people from top executives to engineers who make things work. Then I write about what they say and add analysis and context. It was just something I did. One day a senior executive told me, “Gary, it really matters what you write. You influence many people.” I never really thought about what influence I might have.

The same with this blog. I had thought about a place to write some thoughts based on my reading, meditation and thinking. A pastor said, why not put one on our church’s Website? So this one started several years ago. Then people started commenting or talking to me about what I was writing.

It makes you think about your responsibilities–and to become responsible. Jesus depends on his followers to spread the word. Are you using your influence responsibly?

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If only other people would disappear

May 9, 2011

Do you find it discomforting to deal with people who have different views than you? Different opinions? Different lifestyles? Even among people who profess Jesus?

I got to thinking about this when I read something from a political analyst — David Brooks of The New York Times. For years I read the political columnists faithfully. Then one day about 10 years ago or longer, I discovered that they say the same things over and over. Tell me a topic and a columnist, and I’ll tell you the content. So, I quit reading them. But I’ve recently seen two things by Brooks that were intelligent observations rather than rants.

He just wrote, “The political culture encourages politicians and activists to imagine that the country’s problems would be solved if other people’s interests and values magically disappeared.”

This applies to Christian life, too. Reflecting on Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees he encountered held a similar view. If you weren’t one of them, then it was as if you didn’t exist. Jesus, on the other hand, befriended and counseled all sorts of people. Prostitutes. Tax collectors. The adulterous and promiscuous woman at the well. People who were ritually (and medically in some cases) unclean.

Jesus seemed to have one goal–to bring everyone into relation with God. It’s worth asking periodically, are we getting too comfortable socializing with just “our own kind?” Or are we willing to reach out and relate to those who are not like us? Do you wish that those who are not like us would “just magically” disappear?

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