The Leadership Dilemma

We are living in uncertain times right now.  As I write this, yet another large seasonal storm is bearing down onto the East Coast.  The children in our country are afraid to go to school because there is a decent chance that they may end up the victim of a mass shooting between algebra and social studies.  There is political scandal in the news, and religious strife in many of our churches.  I spend a lot of time praying for our leaders.  What a time to be charged with leading a nation, state, or community.  Not to mention, everyone is watching what they do and say.  

When I think about these difficult headlines and current events, I often search the media to see if I can find any evidence of what the church calls 'servant leadership.'  Sometimes I do, but most often I do not.  This shouldn't surprise us really, as the world will often act differently than what God has revealed to us through the Bible.  But I don't give up hope that we may soon see a change in how our politicians and government officials react to stressful situations.   

We watch leaders come and go.  But I believe what is most prevalent with people in power today - both in corporate America and elsewhere - is the misconception that in order to be effective, we must lead with force.  This often equates to the need to control everything, which in turn comes from allowing our egos to reign unchecked.  A typical strategy for managing a department or beginning a new business for example, often results in large groups of frustrated employees who are disillusioned with their jobs because all they see is the person in charge putting their preferences first.  "I'm in charge, and what I say goes" you may hear them utter.  Couple this style of leadership with the fear of showing weakness or admitting your mistakes, and we have almost the perfect storm.

But what did Jesus say about how to lead others?  You may remember a peculiar Scripture from the Bible that talks about Jesus welcoming little children.  In particular, Luke 9:46-48 says, "An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.  Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him.  Then he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest."

It is a true statement that much of the time, children are looked upon as less influential  (or more marginal) than the rest of the population.  But Jesus rightly takes the time to pull a little one over to himself and teach his followers about a heavenly paradox when it comes to servant leadership.  In other words, if we are ego-driven, control mongering, power hungry leaders - then we are doing something wrong.  We are not leading others the way Jesus taught.  In this case, it would indeed be better to behave like small children.

We may also remember the famous story about Jesus washing his disciples' feet during the Passover festival.  In those days, travel was arduous and people's feet and sandals would often become extremely dirty.  As such, it was a most detestable job to wash them for another person ... definitely not something reserved for the Son of God.  Or so we would think.

The fact is, Jesus washed their feet that day in order to demonstrate to them how to engage in servant leadership.  John 12:14-15 says, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."

He set us an example, but are we listening?  Do we see our managers, bosses, and leaders serving their followers in this way?  Probably not very often.

The problem is that people will follow an intelligent, charismatic leader for a while - but it won't last forever.  If they begin to discover that everything this person says or does is still based around ego or selfish motives, they will eventually begin to fall away.  This is just as true in churches as it is in the business world.  Putting on a good show will sell tickets in the short run, but that alone does not cause genuine life change.  If we are not serving others also, they will feel it.  It cannot be all about us when it comes to leadership.  

One more Biblical account to look at that will help clarify this concept.  The story of King David and Bathsheba has always fascinated me.  Not just because it is a tale of deceit and adultery, but rather because it shows the trouble we can get into when we do not lead well.  You see, 2 Samuel tells us that David had sent his army off to battle against the Ammonites.  It wasn't uncommon to launch into battle in the spring time back then, but what is important here is the fact that the king stayed behind in Jerusalem.  In other words, David sent his army into battle, but decided that it would be better if he didn't get his hands dirty himself.  The fact that he passed on his duty as commander that day allowed the opportunity for problems to sneak in.  David saw the attractive Bathsheba from his vantage point during a rooftop stroll at the palace, and the rest is history (and not good history either).

David should have gone into battle with his troops.  So should we.  We are to get in there and serve.  People are watching and waiting for a leader like this. 

I remember one manager in particular whom I worked for during high school.  He was one of those rare leaders who would choose grace over punishment, and service above ego.  There was nothing that he assigned us which he had not done himself at some stage during his charge.  Since we all knew this, no one scoffed or complained whenever he gave us a task to do.  In fact, he often stayed late so that I could clock out and get home a bit early.  He was truly great to work for.

I wonder if he had ever read that story about Jesus washing feet.  I suppose it doesn't matter at this point, as I have lost track of him through the years.  Probably better to model it than to read about it anyway.  And best of all to teach it through example.     




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Listening for Spiritual Truth

It is so very, very easy to become distracted in our culture today.  We often spend much of our time going back and forth to activities for our children (or grandchildren).  We spend time trying to keep up with the Joneses, keeping our house clean, trying to be a good employee.  It is no wonder that many of us don't have much time leftover to delve into spiritual things or Biblical truth.  In fact, I think it is much easier to come home after a long day and drop into bed exhausted, relieved just to be home. 

 I will always remember one evening in particular; a memory that stuck out in my mind so much that I enjoy recounting the story to this day.  I was at a function organized for some of the children in the community out at the local country club.  It was set up in order recognize achievement - and they always had a free meal.  Parents would bring with them loads of food ... lot's of good stuff and plenty of desserts.  This particular evening was no different, there were tables of treats as far as the eye could see.

It was also not uncommon at these events for the parents and caretakers of the children to be distracted for short periods of time, often helping with the food and the event itself.  Out of the corner of my eye I noticed one young child walking back to his assigned table with a full plate and a beverage.  This is normal at a banquet of course, but as I took a closer look, I noticed that his plate was stacked high with donuts, brownies, and cookies.  I had to sit down because I started laughing so hard.  It was evident that mom and dad were not paying close attention.  The young man saw his chance at freedom, and loaded his plate accordingly with whatever he wanted.  I can't imagine the sugar rush that must have transpired shortly after he sat down to eat!

As we all know, donuts and brownies taste good, but they aren't good for us.  Quite the opposite in fact.  The trade-off for our momentary joy is usually a feeling of fatigue that soon kicks in, and another four-hundred or so calories that stick to our bodies.  The rush is short lived - not to mention the feeling of guilt that rears its ugly head later.

And I believe it can happen just the same way when we turn the discussion toward spiritual things.  When we are tired or distracted, it is easy for the bad things to sneak onto our plates.  It is easy to put God and the Bible fairly low in our daily hierarchy, isn't it?  After all, many of us are on the go from the moment we get out of bed to the time we cash it in for the night.  It is only natural that our plates are full of junk food.  We've no time for anything else.

We load up with a quick bit of political correctness here, maybe a dab of lukewarm spirituality there.  But nothing that will give our souls the protein we need in order to stay healthy and fit.  Instead, we often load our plates with things that give us a quick rush of satisfaction, followed by fatigue and unnecessary calories.

The Gospel of Luke relates an interesting story about how to love our enemies.  At first glance, one might consider this parable unrelated to our discussion about spiritual distraction ... but hang in there with me a bit longer and I think you will see what I am getting at.  Luke 6:27-28 says, "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."   

Now this is good advice on it's own, but notice the first sentence.  Jesus prefaces his teaching by saying, "But to you who are listening..."   What a strange thing to say.  But the statement makes an impact nonetheless.  Are we really listening?  Do we take the time to hear God's voice in the midst of our busy lives?  When we look at our dinner plate, do we see donuts and soda or vegetables and water?  Do we even really look at our food at all, or are we just gulping it down to save time?

I think it is an important question to ask, and it is a good idea to ask it of ourselves at every step throughout our lives.  Are we listening?  We have only a short time here on this planet.  Are we filling that time with spiritual truths from God, or with worldly wisdom that sounds good at the time, but doesn't really keep us full?

Author and philosopher C.S. Lewis once wrote that human beings are built to run only on God, and nothing else.  He goes on to say further, that all of human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.  There is a lot of truth to this statement, especially when we see so many people settling for plates full of pseudo-spirituality and half truths.  

So what is the answer to this dilemma?  I believe the solution is literally at our fingertips, recorded in the actions and words of Jesus.  God has generously related them to us in the pages of the Bible.  We must keep digging in to what Christ said and did.  We must bring our full intellect - with all of our doubt and certainty, joys and struggles - to our understanding of Scripture.  Watching CNN won't get us there.  Reading and studying only secular writings and philosophy isn't enough either.  We must begin to fill our dinner plate with the right food, and the sooner the better.  With the correct spiritual diet, I am betting the distractions will slow down.  Maybe they will even change over from a loud roar for our attention, to a small trickle as we begin to allow God into our busy lives.

I wonder about that little boy and his heaping plate of donuts and cookies from time to time.  It brings a smile to my face whenever I think about it.  I am sure that at some point, mom and dad probably noticed what had happened.  They most likely took it upon themselves to admonish and correct the young man.  If we are lucky, God will do the same for us.  It is no good sitting down to a meal with the wrong type of food.  Fortunately for you and I however, there is usually a grocery store with a fresh produce section just around the corner.  If we listen to our bodies closely enough, we will know when it's time to change our diet.  That time is probably as soon as possible.   



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Parking Lot Theology

The convenience store is a staple of any town in the united states.  My family and I have visited all manner of them during our cross country vacations, and some days there is nothing better than stopping in for a quick cup of coffee and a newspaper.  Typically there is a friendly smile behind the counter, some small talk, and then back down the open road we go.  But these stores often share one big thing in common - a very dangerous parking lot.  

Try to envision the last time you stopped in for drink or a latte without coming within inches of the cars next to you.  I remember on several occasions I had to wait quite some time before I could safely maneuver out of my own parking spot because other vehicles were whizzing by so quickly.  Add to this the fact that many people are also texting or talking on their phones while pulling out, and you can have quite a situation on your hands.

But what stands out to me the most is that the convenience store parking lot is often a focal point for the 'quick grab' mentality.  It's a symptom that represents a bigger issue.  This isn't the store's fault of course, they are set up this way by design.  We pull in and leave the car running, grab what we need,  then off we go (and you had better get out of the way in time).  After all, I'm in a terrible hurry ... aren't you?

The entire process involves getting the best parking spot, getting in line first, getting out as quickly as possible, and then trying your best to avoid an accident along the way.  It is so often also an exercise in immediate gratification gone wrong.  I want that one, and I want it now.  Perfect for a culture and a society constantly on the run. 

If we think about this kind of parking lot concept when it comes to theology and God, I think it is possible to draw some remarkable parallels.  A parking lot theology can prompt us to want to get in and out of church as quickly as possible.  It can cause us to only send up prayers to God when something goes wrong, or when we need His help desperately.  Then as soon as a prayer is answered, it is back in the car and down the road we go.  We are doing a 'quick grab' from God's backpack of miracles, and hoping that we don't get into an accident along the way.  I want this healing, and I want it now God. 

But the parking lot is a dangerous place.  There are cars everywhere, and people rushing around between them.   There are often accidents, and there usually isn't much order to all of the coming and going.  First come, first serve, with goal being a successful quick grab each time.  

Yet still God is patient with us.  He is willing to wait on us to offer him our prayers, even if they are hurried and sandwiched between a latte and a newspaper.  What the heck, maybe I'll even throw in a lottery ticket this time?

Fortunately we have the Scriptures to fall back on here.  If we turn to the Old Testament, Isaiah 30:18 says, "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for Him."  

Even with all of our running around, and even in the midst of the parking lot, Isaiah reminds us that God the Father can be found extending us more patience than we can possibly merit.  Patience in order to bring us back around to thinking about Him, rather than thinking about ourselves.  Patience that if embraced, will put an end to the 'quick grab' mentality for good, and position us in such a way as to begin asking different spiritual questions.

The question begins to change from 'what can I grab quickly from God', to 'what can I give back to God?'  This isn't an overnight change or course.  Spiritual maturity takes time and work, but it is not a hopeless situation.  For every dangerous parking lot we encounter during our travels, God will also offer us enough time for quiet contemplation - if we will only accept it.  And if we are lucky enough to hear His still, small voice, then may we also be brave enough to respond in kind.  

I have a feeling that if we respond to Him often enough, our parking lot theology will begin to change.  The quick grab gives way to the quick offering, and getting back down the road as fast as possible will give way to the feeling that we may just decide to stay a while.  

The great irony of course, is that God meets all of us where we are at.  No matter how entrenched we may be in the quick grab philosophy, He will wait on us.  No matter how many accidents we end up in while trying to flee the parking lot because we are late for work, He will continue to show up in our lives.  This is love in action; this is what God does.

Just the other day I was forced to park next to one of the gas pumps at a convenience store because there were no regular spaces left.  It didn't bother me, I thought it was kind of funny really.  I walked inside and picked up a coffee and exchanged some small talk with the nice woman behind the counter.  On the way back to my vehicle I noticed that the sun was beginning to set.  Pink and red clouds that looked like streamers flowing in the light evening breeze.  No quick grab for me tonight.  Time to stay a while and soak up the view.  I hope for many more evenings like this, I'm looking forward to a different kind of parking lot.



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A Children's Book

My wife and I had a plan for New Year's Eve this time.  In addition to making a few of the normal resolutions for 2018, we decided that it was time to go through our children's pile of old toys in one of the back rooms of our home.  It was an impressive stack of minutia to say the least.  An old tennis racket here, a stuffed animal there.  The task seemed daunting at first glance, but it was simply time for some of this mess to go.  It was a new year after all, and this was our chance to herald it in with some organization! 

As we all began pitching in and sorting through this stack of toys, I happened upon an old book that I used to read to my daughter when she was very young.  You may have heard of it, the title is 'Eight Silly Monkeys.'  I was glad that we had established the rule that no books were to be disposed of prior to the clean out.  We would save this one for sure.  It wasn't necessarily a profound book, but just a kids' story about some animals jumping up and down on a bed; one by one they accidentally fell off.  by the end of the book, there is no one left on the bed.  This wasn't rocket science, but it was entertaining nonetheless. 

I was prepared to sit down and sort toys that day, but I wasn't ready for the rush of memories and emotions that this book elicited within me.  I was instantly transported back in time to my daughter's old bedroom from our house back in Des Moines, and I could even picture the rocking chair that my wife and I used to sit in when reading to the kids.  

I bottled up my emotions however, and filed the book away on a shelf for later; but the damage was already done.  I wasn't myself the rest of the day.

It reminds me of how the Bible describes the way in which God knows us.  Psalm 139:13 tells us that He "created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."  What a wonderful way to teach us how intimately God knows His creation.  Stop and imagine for a moment, that there is a being out there that knew you before you were born.  A being who 'knitted' you together, had hopes and plans for you, and wanted very much to watch you grow up.  This sounds a lot like a good parent, but in fact much better. 

I remember very much having this same type of excitement when all three of my kids were born.  On each occasion, it was a time full of complete humbleness over the vast expanse of God's goodness at allowing me to be part of something so important.  And now here I was looking at a book about Monkeys, and the fifteen years that my beautiful little girl has been on this planet all came rushing in.  It was an emotional roller-coaster to say the least, for both my wife and I. 


In fact, to really know someone well, I believe it helps to be part of their childhood in some way.  To be part of their development and growing process from day one.  If we return to the book of Psalms for a moment, chapter 121 and verse 8 says, "the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more."  

Does God metaphorically sort through our old toys from time to time I wonder?   I suspect that this is how He feels about our personal prayers sometimes.  I see an image of a refrigerator door somewhere in Heaven, covered with small pieces of paper - all scribbled with children's hand-writing.  One note asks for a particular toy for Christmas perhaps.  Another might request a healing for a friend or acquaintance.  

But there is a special corner of the door reserved for notes that simply express a raw, unabashed love for the Father.  A group of tattered notes and letters that were written to God not to ask for something, but rather only to tell him I love you.   

Meanwhile I continue on in our back room, sorting toys and separating out our old books.  Things don't go any better for me as time went on.  The mental image of the refrigerator door is now becoming overrun with handwritten notes.  We had better break for lunch... time to rest and regroup a bit. 

As the day began to wind down and the toy pile continued to shrink, I noticed it was almost time for the ball to drop in Times Square.  An age-old ushering in of the New Year.  But one more thought sprang to mind.  It was more of an assurance actually.  It was the idea that to our creator, we are both children and adults at the same time.  If God is outside of normal time and space, then why couldn't He look at each person not only as they currently are ... but as they used to be, and also as they will be?  All at the same time.  After all, God is not subject to months and years the same way you and I are.  Maybe He can see everything all at once.

Why should this supernatural ability to perceive and observe us in such an omniscient way matter?  Because if this is true, then I think it would also follow (though now we are simply chewing over my opinion) that He could look back on our entire life and simply love us for who we are at any stage of our development.  We should allow this all-encompassing joy to seep into our very souls I think, as it means that God is able to accept everyone and love them just for who they are.  To love them equally across the whole span of time: when they were a small child, and then a teenager, and finally an adult.  Our prayers mean just as much to Him, no matter if we are "all grown up" or not. Even if some don't make it to adulthood at all. 

The excitement of the New Year begins to abate back at home, as I announce to the kids that bedtime has arrived.  We will be tired the next day, as everyone stayed up until midnight.  

I secretly wonder to myself as I tuck in the boys, if God also has a bookshelf somewhere with a copy of 'Eight Little Monkeys' on it.  Is this silly?  Should I know better than to entertain simplistic ideas like this?  I have no idea really, but it is just my own thoughts now, so I go with it. 

I don't care of course if it is silly or not, and neither does He.  It is my bookshelf, and it is between Him and me.  I hope He looks at it every once in a while.  I hope also that His spot for me on the refrigerator door is overrun with notes. 



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Pride of Life

I remember a famous preacher once asking his congregation to take a moment and think about the ten commandments.  He wanted each person to go down the list in their mind, and decide which of the ten they each struggled with the most.  He then added a curious twist to the last part of his sermon.  He told them that if anyone went down that list and came up with nothing, and in so doing they were to end up feeling pretty good about themselves as a result, then they were to jot down the word 'pride' in the margin of their Bibles.  Oh to see the look on peoples' faces that day!  The preacher made his point for sure, mainly that many among us may be struggling with something called pride of life.

Just what is this concept?  It comes from 1 John chapter 2, verses 15-16.  In this famous Biblical letter, the author says this, "Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - comes not from the Father but from the world."   

Honestly, I believe that to be prideful is really a type of idolatry.  We are putting something or someone in a place above God, and then inserting a competitive drive toward that thing in order to be the best at it, have more of it than someone else, or simply to show it off.

I remember not long ago I was working closely with someone on a project.  We had spent time together in the past, so I knew that this was a very talented young lady, and she was good at her job.  At one point, I served up what I thought was a well placed  compliment designed to embolden her self confidence.  Unfortunately what actually happened is that it bypassed her humility center and went straight to her ego, never to be seen or heard from again.  There was no living with her the rest of the day.  Something happened the moment that compliment left my mouth and entered her consciousness.  Instead of producing humility and gratitude, it inflated her ego and engaged pride of life.

Now I must mention here that this isn't uncommon.  In today's world of social media and self-glorification, it is very easy to fall into pride.  In C.S. Lewis' seminal book 'Mere Christianity', he reminds us that pride in a job well done or being proud of one of your children isn't immoral.  In fact, this type of pride is very healthy.  But should a person go one step further, and state that they are proud of the job they did because it is better than the job someone else did ... now we have a problem.  Pride in itself is competitive by nature.  It isn't enough to have a new car; the car must be better than your neighbor's car.  And if it isn't, well then, time to head back to the dealership again for something newer.

To help make this point solid, let's visit the book of Daniel from the Bible.  Daniel, having worked his way up the ladder while serving king Nebuchadnezzar, was asked to come and interpret one of the king's dreams.  It was essentially a warning from God that should the king become too proud, his fall from grace would be swift and profound.  Dan 4:30-31 says, "[the king] said, 'Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?'  Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, 'This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.'"   

Note how quickly the king lost his throne.  As soon as he articulated his arrogance verbally, it was all over for him - at least for a while.  Daniel had warned him, yet he still couldn't overcome his temptation to indulge in the idea that he himself had built all of this, not God.  It was a hard lesson to learn for an Old Testament king.  It is a hard lesson for you and I to learn today.  There are always consequences for being puffed up.

Author C.S. Lewis later refers to pride as the "anti-God state of being."  But why is this sin so detestable in particular?  I think the answer lies in the fact that if we are being honest, pride of life contains two particularly sticky criteria.  First, a proud person is often plagued by tunnel vision.  They have blinders on and cannot see their own predicament clearly.  Others around them can see it immediately, but they themselves cannot.  Second, being proud can also make us unteachable.  It provides us with the mistaken notion that we have the Midas Touch, and so nothing we do could possibly need improved upon.  This silly arrogance can even extend to the spiritual realm as well.  It often sounds like this: "look how much good I am doing for the church, God must really be pleased with how holy I am!"  It sounds like nonsense to say this out loud of course, and I have a feeling that those folks who think that way about themselves represent the calm before the storm.  As I said previously, there are consequences to being puffed up.

So what are these consequences?  Why can't we just cruise through life believing that everything we do is perfect, and no one can possibly eclipse our knowledge, intellect, or ability?  To answer this, we visit the book of Proverbs (chapter 16 verse 18): "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."  This statement is both eloquent and accurate.  In fact, I don't believe there are any exceptions to this rule.  When I ruminate about my own life, I can't think of a single situation where God allowed me special freedom from the natural consequences of thinking that I was better than someone else.  There was always a literal "come to Jesus moment" that resulted from me doing something prideful.  Just turn on the television set or pick up a newspaper.  It won't be long before you read about a leader falling from grace - and usually for good reason.     

But here is the good news.  Our God is a God of redemption and restoration.  If we look back at the book of Daniel again for a moment, we see that after a period of time the Father restored king Nebuchadnezzar back to his throne.  Permanent destruction was never the goal here.  On the contrary, once a period of humility had elapsed, Babylon benefited from a much more reserved and humble king.  Take a moment now and imagine if you can, a world full of nations with humble leaders.  How different the meetings at the United Nations would look, I think.  

The truth is that you and I can be restored as well.  If your neighbor suddenly pulls into his driveway with a larger, newer car than you have - there are two choices.  It is either back to the dealership for a better vehicle, or you may simply make peace with the car that you currently own.  Trust me, the only person that probably cares how new your car is, is you.  Hopefully you are driving it to church in order to worship the only being who really deserves that much attention anyway.



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The Near Death Phenomenon

Every so often we hear about NDE’s (near death experiences). I typically avoid discussing these types of things, as they are really more or less subjective experiences.  It is often up to the person listening to decide whether the account is believable or not. I haven't had one myself, and there also isn’t usually much in the way of physical evidence - other than the fact that there may be some medical records that corroborate the person actually died. In fact, a good many people who were brought back to life after some type of medical event report seeing or feeling nothing when they were gone. As we are entering the twenty-first century, we have medical advances such that people can (and are) often resuscitated shortly after they flat-line. An interesting thing has occurred in light of this.  Namely, that as modern medicine has become more proficient in bringing people back from death, accounts of NDE’s have also gone up proportionately.  Ask any hospice nurse and they will say the same thing: there is something more than just this material world. 

Does this mean we can trust all of these stories? Hard to say. There are different versions of what happens after death corresponding to the different religions in the world.  There are also different versions of the NDE that people give, describing what happens to them after their death and resuscitation. There are also different motives that may exist. For example, whenever I read about someone who had one of these experiences, I often look back just to see if it is hinging on a book deal or movie rights.  If John Doe is charging fifty dollars per book, then in my opinion a financial motive could be driving things.  But what about all the people who come forward in spite of skepticism from critics?  What about those brave folks who seem to have no other motive than to give an account of what they saw and heard? 

There are some interesting things to remember here.  The number and frequency of these occurrences seem to indicate to a certain degree that there is something out there, whether or not people choose to believe it. Additionally, there is the interesting point that not all of these NDE experiences are pleasant. Imagine waking up from a heart attack and being surrounded by the same type of hell-like fire and sulfur that the Bible described two-thousand years ago.  These stories are still happening today.  And finally, the astounding number of people (even from different religions and cultures) that report seeing Jesus after they died.  Let’s face it – this phenomena is either happening, or it isn’t. There is either a percentage of these experiences that are legitimate, or it is just random neuron-firing in people's brains as they depart. Some belief systems will explain away all of this by making statements such as “remember, these people weren’t really dead… they came back”, or “it is all a product of the chemicals inside the brain during the death process.” These statements may both be accurate, we won’t know until it is our time.  But what if all three of these positions could be true at the same time?  That they came back, there was a chemical release, and there is an afterlife.  Are these three ideas really mutually exclusive? 

But an interesting thing happens when we actually stop and listen to some of these stories. The people are either exquisite actors, ravenous liars, or simply put ... they are telling the truth.  They may be so convincing because they really did see what they saw.  As I said before, near death experiences are far more difficult to discuss because they don’t provide a central document or book from which to make arguments in the same way the Bible does.  But I don't believe that these occurrences contradict Scripture either. 

It is true that these accounts are subjective. A person either gives their testimony and we believe it, or we don’t. But it's interesting how much persecution some of these people endure for the sake of telling their story.  It's intriguing how these testimonies often end up matching exactly what the Bible says about a celestial heaven or hell. Even more intriguing to me, is the number of these experiences that describe a meeting with Jesus himself. 

I had mentioned previously that I've never had an NDE myself.  But my aunt had a daughter, Shelly, who was mentally handicapped due to a lack of oxygen at birth.  Life was hard for Shelly.  Besides having trouble communicating, she also had serious health issues which required spending lots of time in hospitals.  During the span of her life, even though she couldn't communicate verbally, she would use sign language and touch to express her emotions.  For years, off and on, she would sign the numbers "8/98", always with a big smile on her face.  No one knew what this meant.  But in retrospect, I believe Shelly did.  You see, she died in August of 1998 at the age of 16.   

I think it is safe to make the assumption that there is something else out there.  A spiritual world entirely different than this one.  A place where God comes to meet us where we are at, and requires from us only that we accept Him and become born again.  His free gift to us, if we choose to accept it.   

I don't think we can discount all of these stories.  They are like eye-witness testimonies from people who were there.  It's probably better to listen, than to ignore them.  Shelly would have wanted us to listen.  



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The Importance of Being Still

Americans seem to be obsessed with time.  Look around.  It doesn't take long to see what I am talking about.  We rush off to baseball games, soccer tournaments, football games, and wrestling matches.  We go to work each day; most of us have a prompt start time.  We must attend meetings and phone calls on time, or there will be consequences.  We schedule birthday parties with strict start and stop times.  We run frantically here and there, passing by people and places in a blinding flash to make it to our next function - if we even notice the people at all.  Anyone who doubts this need only visit a foreign country to notice in an instant that culturally speaking, they often think of time with a much more lenient attitude than we do.  

It wasn't long ago that I found myself sitting in a church ministry class where the teachers were discussing the importance of spiritual disciplines.  On this particular day, we were tasked with the discipline of staying still and silent for five minutes.  During this time we could pray or ask God for supplication - it didn't necessarily matter, as long as we were silent for the duration.  The result was astonishing.  By the end of that five minutes many of us were in tears.  We all lead such busy lives (rushing around frantically with our faces buried in our cell phones and calendars), that no one was accustomed to actually staying still for even a short period of time.   It seemed that we all had basically two modes of operation: busy or sleeping.  Quiet time was only a concept.

This exercise was significant in many ways.  Not because it was complicated or because it took years to master, but rather it was so extraordinarily difficult to stop the frantic pace ... even for a minute.  What do you mean I have to slow down?  People are texting me.  I have to check facebook!  Can't you see I'm late for my next appointment?  You get the idea.

The fact of the matter is, staying in this type of unhealthy fast forward mode can hinder our connection with God.  It isn't that God resists us or stops caring about us when we are running nonstop from place to place, but we simply cannot hear Him.  There is too much clutter, too much background noise.  After all, how can I spend time meditating on Scripture when I've got an important meeting right after lunch?  I would also surmise that if this article is too long, a good majority of people will stop reading half way through!  The burden of timekeeping is literally that pervasive. It can affect all aspects of our life.

We are too busy.  Time to get to the next appointment.  We can't be bothered with the small stuff.

The Gospel of Mark has an interesting take on the importance of being still.  Most of us remember the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.  Listen to what Jesus says to his apostles when he can see they are becoming overwhelmed.  Mark 6:31 says, "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'"

Did the Son of God and his followers have an important job worthy of skipping quiet time?  You bet they did.  They were tasked with nothing less than spreading the good news of salvation to the rest of the world.  But even so, when it was time to stop and recharge, Jesus not only sanctioned it but encouraged it.

But let's say for the sake of argument that we are lucky enough to find five minutes where we aren't on our cell phone or digital calendars.  What do we focus on when we are alone?  What exactly brought many of the people in my ministry class to tears?  We may find the answer to this in the book of Psalms from the Old Testament.  Psalm 62:1 in fact says this, "Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him." 

The psalmist was right indeed, and we would do well to let those words sink in.  We do need God.  We need Him more than we think we do.  He is the only real point of connection that we must nurture, and it so happens that He is often the last place that people go.  We are busy, we have meetings.  Praying and quiet time will have to wait, right?  Even churches suffer from this problem I think.  I believe that the well meaning Christian may often find himself caught up in a battle between being too busy doing the duty of the church, that it becomes difficult to perform the work of the church.  If you are still doubting at this point, then think back to the last time a preacher or reverend happened to lapse over the allotted fifteen or twenty minutes that was allowed for a sermon.  Were you checking your watch and getting anxious?  Me too.

After all, we are busy.  We have meetings and baseball games and such.  

We make time for the things we love in this world.  If that desire happens to be attending a concert for example, then we find a way to save the money and go.  If it happens to be a sporting event, then we squeeze it in.  And all the while, God is waiting.  Waiting on us to give Him five minutes of our time.  Not the church or ministry mind you, but Him. 

I chuckle to myself while writing this because I am thinking back to the story of Moses and the burning bush in the desert.   Many readers will remember this famous story from the Bible.  God comes to Moses in the form of a bush that bursts into flames spontaneously, but is never quite consumed by the fire.  God tells Moses that he will be the chosen catalyst for change, and will single handedly lead the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt.  What would have happened if Moses suddenly pulled out his day-planner and bartered with God instead about which date would work best for him to speak with Pharaoh?  

It is okay to be punctual and responsible.  A certain dose of planning should also be encouraged of course.  But we must remember to take time to connect with God ... to be still.  This is what feeds our soul, and that fact hasn't changed since the first human came into existence.  Probably better to obsess more about God than we do our calendars - for both our sakes.



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The Great Penguin Rescue

Our annual family vacation this year led us to Panama City Beach in the panhandle of Florida.  My wife is an expert vacation strategist, and this summer getaway was one of our best.  Great hotel on the beach, good food, and moderate ocean waves all coalesced to form a much needed retreat from the real world.  All good vacations must come to an end however, and this one was no exception.  As the week wrapped up, our entourage loaded up the vehicle and drove away from the resort that we called home for the last four days.  We were sad to see it go. 

We decided to make one last stop at a local tourist shop on the way out of town - about three miles from the hotel to be exact.  After all, one cannot be expected to visit far away lands without indulging in some consumerism, right?  It was definitely souvenir time!

On the way to the store, my youngest son noticed that we had packed everything ... except his penguin pillow pet.  What is a pillow pet you might ask?  They are the incarnation of an ingenious marketing idea about ten years ago, that turned a normal pillow into whatever type of animal a child could possibly desire.  In this particular case, nothing but a penguin would suffice.  It had sentimental value beyond compare, akin to the old days when kids would carry around a blanket everywhere.  

A quick discussion took place between my wife and I at that moment.  The gist of the dilemma was obvious: is retrieving the penguin pillow from the hotel worth turning the car around and losing valuable time on the road?  It was late in the day, and we still had a nine hour drive ahead of us.  The decision was eventually made - I would go back to the resort and rescue the pillow while everyone else stayed behind and continued shopping.  Hopefully it was still there where he had left it.  What if another child found it and decided it would look better with his family instead?

The way back to the hotel provided ample time to consider various ways to put aside my frustration.  The situation was replete with spiritual meaning of course, and I couldn't help but think of one of Jesus' most famous parables from the Bible.  The story of the lost sheep occurs in both the Gospel of Matthew and Luke.  For our purposes here, we will quote Luke 15.  Scripture says, "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.  Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.  Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'"  

It appears that God cares not only about His followers nestled safely in His church, but also for those who have wandered away from the faith.  He cares enough to leave and go after that one lost soul who, for whatever reason, has decided that he or she doesn't need God.  Fellow armchair Bible scholars will note here that there are similarities to the parable of the lost coin, as well as the story of the prodigal son.  All three of these stories relate the idea that God cares for everyone, and not just those who are exhibiting "good behavior" or Christian living.  

At the risk of over simplifying this parable, it would appear that God feels it worth the trouble to turn the car around and head back to the hotel for the penguin pillow.  It appears that He would have it no other way.  And it would also seem - though often we may wish otherwise - that God thinks us worth the effort of rescuing even when we don't want to be rescued.  Now this can be very inconvenient.  It often interferes with some of the other things in our life.  After all, the hotel is nice, right?  It's straight off the beach, and it offers free breakfast.  Can't we just stay lost once in a while?

The fact of the matter is that no one stays "lost" unless they want to.  God will pursue us relentlessly.  He desires that no one be out of reach from the love of Christ.  He will meet us in our darkest hour, in our most broken state, and there is no hotel lobby anywhere where He cannot come and save us ... beachfront property or otherwise.

As I rounded the curve and pulled my car up to the resort entrance, I hopped out and left the engine running.  There was no time to waste.  Failure wasn't an option on this mission; there was too much riding on the rescue.  A quick glance around the lobby revealed nothing.  I staggered up to the front desk and breathlessly asked the attendant if they had seen a small, black and white pillow shaped like a penguin.  No luck.  She left me briefly to check the lost and found while I paced around nervously, wondering what I was going to tell my son.

Against all odds, one of the cleaning people found the pillow sitting on the floor, shoved behind one of the sofas.  Success at last!  After thanking everyone profusely, I muddled my way back to the car and sped away toward the tourist shop.  The following nine hours in the car would now go by much faster, and with far less tension.  There would be no tears shed today.

The Bible tells us that God and all the heavenly host rejoice when even one sinner repents and becomes born again.  God will not rest until all one hundred of those sheep are back within the safety of the pasture.  Wandering off can be fun sometimes I suppose, maybe even an adventure.  But I will take the feeling of being safe and sound at home over an impersonal hotel lobby any day.  Wouldn't you?



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Eating Healthy in a Junk Food World

Let me start by saying that I'm not much for fad diets.  I believe that the constant losing and gaining of weight, and going on and off of diets throughout a person's life can have negative consequences for your health in the long run.  But that said, five years ago I had reached a low point in the food consumption arena.  That's my euphemism for confessing that I had a problem with junk food.  My wife saw this and brought it to my attention, and together (with much cajoling needed on her part) we began what is known as the 'Whole 30' diet.  Nothing fancy, just common sense eating.  The idea is that we were to eat only whole foods for a month.  No extra sugar, no sodium, no dairy, etc.  Just the healthy stuff.

Within that thirty days I had lost twelve pounds and an inch off of my waist, so we decided to keep going.  Another three months later, and I had lost a total of 25 pounds.  My skin was starting to clear up, I could sleep easily at night, and I was able to stop all allergy medication because my symptoms were non-existent.  Mind you, I had suffered from seasonal allergies during the spring and fall for half of my life.  

It was a miracle cure ... or was it?  

We are surrounded by junk food on a daily basis in this country.  Look at the label of what you are eating the next time you go to start dinner.  Sugar, sodium, MSG, yellow #5.  The list goes on and on.  Most (if not all) of these foods are more chemical than food anyway.  It is as if bacon cheeseburgers everywhere have come together to form a united front against our ability to live long, healthy lives!  And to make matters worse, the more bad food you consume - the more your body wants it.  This is both psychological and physiological. 

When I think of stripping away all of the unhealthy ingredients in these foods, I cannot help but ruminate on what it means to be spiritually healthy as well.  We are both physical and spiritual beings.  Is the Biblical Christian plagued by extra, unwanted raw materials that hover around the purity of our Lord's words?  Just how pervasive is church tradition when it comes to interfering with sacred Scripture?   One need only think about how many arguments have transpired both inside and outside the church when it comes to the subject of baptism.  Do we baptize infants?  Kids?  Or do we baptize adults only like in the Scriptures?  And do we sprinkle with water or fully submerge?  The rabbit hole continues in a downward spiral from there.  You get the idea.

It is important to make the point here about staying true to the purity of Scripture, so let's begin by trying to define what I think are five core beliefs that Christians hold dear.  This isn't a comprehensive list, but at it's root, it would be difficult for me to imagine anyone holding to a Christian identity if they didn't agree on these five things.  I believe all of these concepts are clearly stated in the Bible.  Indeed, we need only Google the Apostle's Creed to find many of them.

The big five are as follows:  we know God to be a trinity (3 in 1), we know Jesus was resurrected on the third day, we believe in salvation through Christ alone, we understand the concept of original sin, and we profess the second coming of Jesus one day in the future.  These are core principles of the faith, and they are repeated over and over again in the Bible.  Even with a superficial reading of the text, they are hard to miss.  

So then, why is it so easy to mess up religion?  Why do so many stray from the center and off into the murky grey area (or the fringe)?  We know that staying true to the gospel message was important to the writers of the New Testament also.  Listen to this verse from 1 Timothy (4:16), "Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."   

If it was important to them, it should be important to us.

I think that the problem lies in the fact that these Biblical truths are often mixed together with a little bit of sugar here, and a lot of sodium there.  By the time we add MSG and a spoon-full of Yellow #5, we have such a watered down version of the Good News that we shouldn't be surprised if the outside world wants none of it.  They are hearing an amalgamated version of the faith, laced with political correctness and a good measure of personal opinion thrown in to boot. 

But imagine if we kept it simple, and we stuck to the big five without any additives or extras.  Habakkuk says this in fact (2:2-3), "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.  For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie."   Imagine if we made it plain.  

I believe there would be less in-fighting within churches, and therefore less contempt for the word of God outside of the church as well.  We feel so much better when we eat healthy and begin to heal our bodies from the inside out.  Wouldn't this hold true for our spiritual selves also?  No loaded baked potato with sour cream and butter for me; just serve it to me plain please.  None of that other junk that will only slow me down. 

Then reality comes rushing back in.  Of course we often cloud these marvelous truths with man-made traditions and supplemental rules.  It's what human beings do - it always has been.  I'm sure many well meaning bishops and pastors throughout generations past have added a bit extra to their sermons here and there.  Better to make it plain if possible, however.  Once our skin begins to clear up and the allergy symptoms leave, the future of the church begins to look brighter.  We may even drop some extra weight in the process.

My Personal Faith Journey

Today I was fortunate enough to give my personal testimony at church.  It allowed me to share with people what my life used to look like, versus what it looks like now.  Any good gift is from above (as Scripture says), so I attribute any progress whatsoever regarding my faith walk to God above.  I love Him, and I always will.  I hope you enjoy this video:

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Sixteen Chapters

My wife and I recently celebrated our sixteenth wedding anniversary.  I wanted to make this occasion special, so I carved out some time just for us.  With three kids, a dog, a cat, and two full time jobs, weekend getaways do not come easy.  This was important to me however, so we dropped off the kids with the grandparents, and away we went.  

It was a fantastic time.  We dined at an excellent restaurant, squeezed in some shopping, and even managed to walk along the river bank on a sidewalk that seemed designed just for the two of us.  My wife has been with me through all manner of trials and all types of unexpected events.  We have shared many wonderful things together as well.  She has been a guiding light for me and the kids from the very beginning.  

Anniversaries are a time to celebrate what you have accomplished, as well as what lies ahead.  Anyone who has been married with children can tell you that you will have both good times and difficult times, but one thing is certain - it is never boring.  Boredom is not an affectation granted to parents!  It is a wild ride, and I have a feeling that is the way God intended it.  

As I look back through these first sixteen years, I cannot help but think of them as interesting chapters in a really good book.  We are sixteen chapters along so far, and I wouldn't change a thing.  How many more chapters will God grant me I wonder?  Will there be a chapter where I get to hold my own grandchildren?  Maybe a chapter or two written expressly for the purpose of living a long and healthy life.  One can only hope.

And how do we make certain that each chapter in our proverbial book of life is lived well?  Is it enough just to do the best we can with what we have?  What part does faith play in all of this?  Can we expect God to partner with us to raise our kids and to help nurture them through times of difficulty?

There is a wonderful piece of Scripture in the book of Proverbs that talks about this very thing.  I firmly believe it is a description of how God desires us to view the world.  A mantle of guidance for how the spiritual man or woman can - on his or her best day - make their way through this strange and wonderful life and be able to look back with satisfaction.

Proverbs 9:10 says this, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  We should pause for a moment to define what is meant by the first part of this passage I think, because to misinterpret it is to confuse its real meaning.

When people in ancient times talked about fearing the Lord, it wasn't just the idea that we should be literally afraid of God.  Something up there so big and powerful that we are to cower under His mighty stare.  No, rather it means that all things being equal, it is best to have an awe and respect for God.  That it is good to obey His commands as best we can, and to revel in the knowledge that we are saved by faith through grace, and that not of our own hand (Ephesians 2:8).  

In other words, living with a healthy reverence for the one who created us ... all the while seeking to learn more about Him.  This is the real beginning of true wisdom.  This is actually one of my firm foundational beliefs.  If we do not participate in some way in this endeavor, then we are "missing it" I think.  We are living the empty shell of a life that was made for so much more.  We are only going through the motions.

I believe that in this way, God's wisdom (the fear of the Lord) can help guide all the chapters in our book.  Both the sixteen chapters that my wife and I have already shared, as well as the next sixteen.  

I suppose it would help to think of it from the perspective of a life lived without such reverence as well.  Let's say for the sake of argument that I lived out the first sixteen years of my marriage without any knowledge or appreciation for Biblical fortitude (and surely this was true for the first few years at least).  I work hard so that I can make a good living, so that we can afford cars and a decent home.  But to what end?  So that I can work even harder as time goes on, maybe get a promotion, and eventually buy a better car and a bigger house?  There must be more to life than this.

Or maybe I raise my kids in a loving environment, but there is no time for church or faith.  The children go from one activity to another.  They play sports and enjoy it, and maybe one of them goes off to college with a scholarship.  But to what end?  Don't other kids in other homes play sports and get scholarships?  Where is the grand importance here?  What meaning does any of it really have if it isn't grounded in some type of lasting faith tradition?  Again ... there must be more to life than this.

Proverbs 9:10 flies in the face of all of this.  It asks us to wake up from our slumber of being busy for the sake of being busy, and it requires us to take action.  It asks us not just what we are doing, but who we are doing it for.  Just how are those chapters in our book of life coming along?  Are the pages woven together by faith and a commitment to something greater than ourselves?  If not, it may be time to pause for a moment and reflect.

These are not silly platitudes, and I sincerely hope that what I'm saying doesn't sound that way.  How we live out the chapters in our life determines where we end up for all eternity, and whether or not we are pointing our children toward (or away) from a life with God.  The stakes are high, we dare not misstep.

I don't know, would I have been happy with the first sixteen chapters if they were Godless?  Maybe marginally.  But as my favorite author and philosopher C.S. Lewis writes in his book 'Mere Christianity': "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."     

The only reason we have chapters at all is because God grants them to us in the first place.  Why not give back to Him by simply seeking His light, and fearing Him the way a child should respect its parents.  We can partner with Jesus in a way that allows for our faith to grow and mature over the course of our life, and in so doing, pass along that tradition to the rest of our family.  We have the ability to transfer this faith to our children, our friends, and even others in the community.  We have a calling to live a Proverbs 9:10 type of life.

As I finish writing this article, my kids are tucked away in bed.  It was another busy day full of rushing around here and there.  I am actually surprised that we got everyone to bed at a decent hour.  It's time for me to turn in for the evening as well.  Time to put the finishing touches on this particular page in my sixteenth chapter.  I am looking forward with anticipation to the next chapter.  I haven't looked ahead yet, and there isn't a table of contents.  No cheating allowed.  Fear God and love him, and that will surely be enough I think.  I wish the same for all of my kids; and for yours as well.  



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