Posts Tagged ‘actions’

Newer Entries »

Being the Church Not Necessarily Being At Church

February 24, 2015

For those of my readers who belong to a church, do you know the people who seem to always be in the building whenever the doors are open?

Some people have been so dedicated, or something, to their church that they feel they must be involved in everything. Committee meetings, choir practice, kitchen duty, fold bulletins.

There is a value to some of that. But, at some point you have to pause and ask why you feel the need to be away from the family that much. Or, maybe like me, you just feel a need to serve. That makes it difficult for me to say the “N” word–NO. I’m learning. I’ve been pushing things off on others in one form or another for years. I call it developing leaders.

When we were called to be the church, we were not called to be at the church at all times. The spiritual discipline of service should not be skewed into service within the four walls of your building. In fact, it’s hard to be the church when you are at the church building.

Being the church calls outside. To meet with those along the way. Heal, teach, help, listen. Do as Jesus did as he walked the land. He is master; we are disciple. We are called to practice as the master practiced.

Our congregation offers many ways for people to be the church locally, regionally, internationally. But even that should not be a limit. Wherever we go, there  we are the church.

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Attitude, Compassion, Disciplines, Service | Leave a Comment »

Where Does Lying Get You

February 11, 2015

I am in Orlando at a conference. It all started with arriving over an hour late–so in my room at midnight Sunday. Meeting early Monday. Reception until after 10. Followed by another early morning and late night. Now 7 am breakfast meeting. That’s the glamorous life of a writer traveling to a resort area on business.

Speaking of the glamorous life, I have been reading a little (very little) about this Brian Williams performance art and drama. As I get the story, he reported that he was in a helicopter in Iraq that was shot down. Now they say he was in the helicopter trailing and never went down.

Confusion? Lying? We’ll never know.

But that incident started a train of thought. Supposing he did lie. Supposing you and I have ever lied about doing something. Embellished a resume. Tried to impress a prospective employer.

In the end, what do we gain.

We read in the Bible, let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Say what you need to say. Sgt. Joe Friday, “Just the facts, Ma’am.”

If we let who we are speak through what we do, what does that say about our character?

As a writer and teacher, I’m always aware of the trap I can fall into. I can make my career sound like some exotic journey into great competence or I can make it sound like a series of steps where I learn a little at every stop along the way.

I try to be careful, and I hope I succeed. Maybe more of us should remember who we wish to be and act in accordance.

Or maybe we want to be a liar????

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Ethics | Leave a Comment »

To Do Is To Be

December 31, 2014

Be as you wish to seem.
–Socrates

We know that you can change your mood just by changing how you act. Feel down, smile. Feel a little lethargic, go for a walk.

Personal development gurus, back when it mattered how you dress, advised dressing and acting like someone in the position to which you aspire.

I asked myself earlier this week, what sort of person do I want to be. I need to decide that before I do things like setting goals and that sort of thing.

Socrates turns the thought around, although in reflection I think I disagree a little with him.

He makes it more external. How do you wish to be seen by others? That’s one way to take the word “seem.”

I think I’d turn it around and make it a play on words which is a great memory tool. “Be as you wish to be.”

Be—as in act—as you wish to be—as in the type of character you want to develop the type of human that you would be recognized as.

We are presented opportunities every day to prove and improve our character. We choose to act or not act in the face of each opportunity. We can choose our model to help us do the right thing. That is the meaning of disciple—we are disciples of someone whom we wish to be like.

Pick your model—the one whom you will follow—wisely. Then we try to act at every opportunity like our teacher/mentor/model.

We can choose. Choose wisely. Then go and do. Or, be as you wish to be.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Living | Leave a Comment »

Three Steps To Happiness

November 12, 2014

We are fascinated, even driven, to find what makes us happy. Even though we “know” (see my last post about the difference between knowing and doing) that happiness comes from the state of our heart, we keep seeking happiness outside. We fall into abusing alcohol and “friends” or even worse drugs. A mild form lies in buying things. Gee, if only I could have this new thing, then finally I’ll be happy. (Yes, for about five minutes when you need to buy the next new thing to make you happy.)

I subscribe to a Website called Big Think where the editors bring in writers to discuss big ideas. This post about happiness makes a good point.

It starts with one of Google’s first engineering employees, Chade-Meng Tan. He noticed his co-workers were often unsatisfied with life. He studied the situation and developed a three step process to happiness–sounds just like an engineer.

  • Step one is to quiet the mind through mindfulness meditation.
  • Step two is to track moments of joy.
  • Step three is to wish others happiness.

Meditation is slowing the mind and body down so that we achieve a state of relaxation. In this state especially if we have been focusing on a story or saying from Scripture, we can also allow God opportunity to whisper to us things He wants us to do or say.

We call the second step gratitude. Write down in a journal or piece of paper or an iPad daily or several times a week the things for which you’re grateful.

Tan’s third step is crucial. You now switch your attention to others. Steps one and two you do in your 15 minutes in the chair every morning. Step three is what you do for the rest of the day. You focus on how you can help other people. Even if it’s just opening a door or offering to carry part of a load.

In this way, happiness is not sought. Happiness is found. It is a fruit of the Spirit. It comes from within us–the state of our heart. A grateful heart whose attention is on service to others brings happiness and joy to its owner.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Gratitude | Leave a Comment »

It Is More Than Knowledge

November 10, 2014

James tells us, “But be doers of the word, not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”

Bible study is one of the basic Spiritual Disciplines. I certainly practice that daily. I know tons of people who know more than I.

Yet, I was struck with a convicting thought this morning. Why is it we can know so much, yet we have so much trouble putting our knowledge into action?

How often do we leave an interaction with someone and the thought hits us that we know better than how we acted–or failed to act???

I guess the first thing we need is awareness. It has always been my problem that I’m lost in thought and fail to really notice other people. It has taken me years to become more aware of people around me. Help them with a door, or dropped object, or anonymously pick up a check at a restaurant.

Or, when a woman brought a bouquet of flowers to a friend from Mexico at the dinner Friday evening, I said, “Boy I wish I were thoughtful like that.” Oops. My wife heard that remark. She said, “Me, too.” 😉

After awareness comes intention to help. It is a way of thinking and being. It becomes instinctive. You just help others. Eventually it is part of your personality. When people think of you, they think, “What a kind and helpful person.”

That becomes the goal. Knowledge helps bring us closer to God. Doing shows us as Disciples of Jesus.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Disciplines | Leave a Comment »

It’s Not Where We’re Going, It’s What We Do

February 19, 2014

My study is in a period of John. One of my small groups is reading the Gospel, another the Revelation. I’m more interested in the Gospel.

I’ve been reflecting on all my readings of the Gospels over the past 50 years or so. The thought popped up some time ago–the message of the Gospels and indeed the message of Jesus rarely had anything to do with heaven and hell.

Many of my friends devote many cycles of their brain functioning worrying about who is going to heaven and who is going to hell.

Mostly the message is all about our relationships. Primarily our relationship to God. That determines our relationships to money (often a topic) and to others. That may be why thinkers such as Richard Foster and Dallas Willard talk so much about the “with-God” life.

I started to meditate in my late teens. The theory was that you meditated to achieve “enlightenment” or a God experience. Many contemplatives have written about their revelations and experiences. I have also on occasion.

But this old Zen proverb just came to my attention again–“Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.”

It’s not about enlightenment, God experiences or who’s going to heaven. It’s about what we do and how we do it and our motivations in the next minute. I often ask my students, “When you leave this room, what will you do? How will you act? What will be your attitude?”

Am I living with-God minute-by-minute? It’s the relationship.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Attitude, Disciplines, Relationship | Leave a Comment »

Newer Entries »