A Way That Seems Right

In the last 24 hours I have been confronted with people dealing with school suspension, teenage runaway's, threats of  restraining orders; as well as people questioning their own value and sense of worthiness.  These are people I care so much for and the weight of all this hits me.  Ministry can be messy. 

Some of these issues are brought about by their own poor choices,  some by the poor choices of other people, and some a combination of both.  We live in a world marred by sin and see so vividly, when we look for it, its effects.

I am reminded of the words from Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (NIV)  There is physical death and then there is figurative death, but death none the less.  Don’t get me wrong, when we do what we naturally think is best and live for ourselves, the end is death, and that’s not just figurative.  It is eternal separation from God.  But while we are alive here on earth, our poor choices can cause so much more death.  The death of a relationship.  The death of our reputation.  The death of our feelings of personal worth.  The death sentencing could go on. 

I almost find it ironic, living in America in the 21st century, how so many in our culture critique the Bible—declaring it to be irrelevant, old-fashioned, or just a tale.  Many of those same people ignore the truths of the Bible and have a string of dysfunction trailing their life path.  Can they not see the transforming power of Jesus as mentioned in the pages of the Bible? 

As believers, we must rely upon the truth God has revealed to us in the Bible.  God knows so much better.  His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9) and will always prove to be the true source of wisdom when we find our desires colliding.  It is in that moment that we have a choice to make: will I opt to go with my natural reasoning, or will I go with supernatural reasoning—that which comes from God through the  Bible?  

Think about whatever it is you have been faced with this week in life.  Use the list I mentioned earlier in this article as a starting point to get your mind thinking.  How will you respond?  If you try to solve this on your own, void of God and His Word, you will find yourself spinning in circles.  It’s a nasty circular ride that might seem pleasant for a while, but always ends in death. 

 

You Can't Go Wrong

When I was in high school I struggled with feelings of insecurity.  I questioned who my real friends were and whether or not I was truly accepted for who I was.  I recall having a conversation about these feelings with my dad during my sophomore year of high school.  My dad gave me advice I still use to this day.  He told me, "Nathan, treat everyone - no matter how cool or un-cool you think they are - with the same amount of respect.  You can't go wrong when you do this."

I decided to give this advice a try.  I remember sitting down next to a girl who I would have labeled in the "un-cool" category my dad spoke of.  I made a deliberate decision to speak with her that day and find out how she was doing.  The funny thing is, a week prior, I would have chalked her up as being someone I was too cool for. 

As I reminisce and think back to my behavior in high school, it's almost embarrassing.  I felt slighted by some of my peers, but I was equally slighting some of my peers too.  The very thing I was hurt by, I was doing to others.  I wasn't receiving attention from the peers I desperately wanted attention from.  Concerning the peers I wasn't giving attention to - well, I just didn't care. 

Whenever we deal with people, it can get a bit difficult.  God has designed up as relational creatures and it hurts deeply when we feel rejected by our peers.  Because of our sinful nature we are all capable of duplicating the hurt that rejection brings.  Sometimes I think we even cause hurt and are unaware of it.  We may exclude without realizing our actions.  

My dad's advice was well worth listening to.  I grew to value my dad's advice because it viewed all people as equals.  Rather than seeing people from a human standpoint and giving labels of status, it helped me view others from God's standpoint.  All people have significant value because they are made in the image of God.  Whenever I make a judgment of the "worthiness" of another person, I am giving in to the fleshly part of me.  God is not part of that.  As I allow God to dictate how I treat others, these selfish walls go down and God's love is free to flow through my life to everyone I meet.  

Through the pain often associated with friendships, I learned a critical lesson.  Treating all people with the same amount of respect is worth it.  What my dad told me back then still rings true today: you can't go wrong when you show kindness and respect.  

What Has You Captivated?

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. ~ Colossians 2:8 (NIV)

Have you been taken captive?  Has your mind made room for what our society believes is acceptable?  God’s Word warns us to guard that it doesn’t.  And if there is a warning, it can only be because of the potential—the potential that we might be held hostage to the deceptive way of life this world holds as true.  

When I was in junior high, I found music to be one of the most powerful tools the enemy tried to use against me to transform my Biblical upbringing and water down my faith.  If I would have been honest, I would have told you that for a short period of my life, most of my music was displeasing to God.  Today I am so thankful that my dad discovered the music I was listening to and told me as long as I lived under his roof I would not be listening to that. 

In high school my music choices were heathy, yet the pull to conform to what peers (even Christian peers who should have known better) was ever so strong.  And the battle of my flesh only made this inner turmoil all the more difficult.  As I look back, it was the help of a few people who made a spiritual investment in my life, the prayers of my parents, and the strong inner conviction of right and wrong that the Holy Spirit produced in me.  I knew the truth and could not deny it. 

Colossians 2:8 tells us that the worlds philosophy and basic principles are hollow.  That means they are completely empty.  But they are also deceptive.  And this makes sense.  They must be deceptive since they are hollow.  Most people don’t succumb to belief that is empty.  There must be trickery involved if people are going to fall for it.  The devil flirts with our old sin nature and gets us to believe that his ways are better than God’s ways.  But when we give in to this, we find that we are held captive.  We become enslaved to that which is hollow. 

The solution?  According to this Scripture verse, it is that our philosophy be embedded in Christ.  Our very way of thinking, values, and beliefs should be grounded in who Jesus is.  After all, in Him is true life, an abundant life (John 10:10).  We also must be honest with ourselves.  As Christians, we can become prisoners of an empty, worldly way of life.  So take a moment and examine your life—have you been taken captive?            

 

The Perfect Age

If you were asked what age you feel is best, it is likely you would answer somewhere in your 20’s.  Whether or not this is a proven fact, I can’t say, but years ago I heard that the human body is at its peak at age 23—then it’s all downhill from there!  This seems to fit with the world of sports—professional athletes are considered “old” if they are in their 30’s.  And it seems to be true for Hollywood as well—celebrities do their best to dress and look like they are 26 (eventually the plastic surgery catches up with them!). 

Now youth is a wonderful thing for sure.  As a matter of fact, I think it’s pretty safe to say that is how most of us start out (now that is some serious humor!); but is it possible our culture has become so preoccupied with young age that we neglect what we have to gain from old age?  Consider these words from Scripture. 

“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.  I am the LORD.” ~ Leviticus 19:32

“Is not wisdom found among the aged?  Does not long life bring understanding?” ~ Job 12:12

“Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” ~ Proverbs 23:22

There is a fascinating account recorded in 1 Kings 12.  Shortly after Rehoboam became king, the assembly of Israel told him he would win their hearts over if he would not be quite as harsh as his father Solomon had been.  To this Rehoboam conferred with the elders who had served under King Solomon.  They advised him to answer the people in a way that would gain trust and in doing so would really win the favor of the people so they would gladly serve him.  But Rehoboam didn’t like the response he received so he asked the young men he had grown up with what they thought he should do.  Their smug response is found in verse 10— “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.”  The rest of Rehoboam’s reign was marked by evil, but I can’t help but think how his decision early on to reject his elders was perhaps a pivotal point in his life. 

What is your attitude about the elderly in your life?  Do you value their wisdom and give them the respect they deserve?  How can you show greater respect to those older than you?  If you haven’t already done so, choose an elderly godly man/woman you desire to be like.  Learn from his/her wisdom.  Old age can be a beautiful thing—it’s the direction we’re all moving in!   

Beauty from Flood Waters

Today I traveled 15 minutes outside of Loveland, Colorado to a ranch that was covered in flood waters a little over a year ago.  I have heard from others that the monetary cost to respond to the 2013 flooding in Colorado was greater than that of Katrina.  I have no source to back that up so I don’t know if it’s true.  What I do know is the devastation from the flood was massive. 

It’s humbling to walk the grounds that were once submerged by water.  It’s even more humbling to digest the pain and loss so many families experienced as a result of this flood.  But it’s moving to see restoration that is taking place and beauty that is emerging.  

As I walked the acres of the ranch along a riverbed, I saw both destruction caused by high waters as well as splendor in the landscape.  Both piles of toppled trees and spouts of seedlings.  A mangled fence driven into the ground as well as sloped lawn under the shade of trees.  Both extremes caught my attention and seemed to have so much to teach about life.  

I heard it said today, Jesus doesn’t look for teachable moments…He creates them.   I’m amazed at how Jesus, ever so graciously, by the indwelling Spirit, walks with me through the difficulties I face.  He doesn’t remove difficulties from my life.  As a matter of fact, some difficulties are brought about by Him.  But in those moments, I am more certain than ever, He is at work.  He is accomplishing something of beauty in my life.  Out of the pain, magnificence is birthed.  

I’m thankful for the remarkable kindness my Savior has for me and the way His glory surfaces in my life because of the struggles He brings me through.   Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. ~ Psalm 40:5a     

Got Any Change?

It has been said that the only thing certain in life is that things are going to change.  If I could change (haha!) that old adage, I would have it include God.  All else does change, while God in his nature and what He has said remains the same. 

When I was a teenager, after being out with a friend one night, I remember walking into our living room and being disturbed by the arrangement of our furniture.  My mom took the liberty to rearrange our couches, chairs, and end tables (how dare she!) and this greatly bothered me—so much that I verbally told her she couldn’t just reorganize our house whenever she wanted.  I don’t remember the rest of the conversation, but I can’t imagine it went all that well.  What I do remember was coming to the realization that I don’t like change.  And I’m really not all that alone in this. 

Change takes place all the time.  Think about all the changes that occur during the teenage years—physical growth, intellectual development, emotional maturity, and gained freedom just to name a few.  Other changes are sometimes subtle—opinions, music preferences, and what tastes good to you!  And how about this one?  Do you realize that the average American worker stays at his or her job for 4.4 years (Bureau of Labor Statistics in case you’re curious!).  If you do the math that equals approximately 10 different jobs between college and retirement.  That’s a lot of change!   

I’m so thankful that with so much in constant flux, God remains the same.  While God may deal differently with people or may allow for different methods to be used, His nature remains the same and will never be altered.  God tells us plain and simple that He does not change (Mal. 3:6).  Psalm 102:25-26 tells us that the earth will wear out just as clothing wears out, but God remains.  The writer of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus Christ, who is God, is the same yesterday, today and forever. (13:8).  And James 1:17 tells us our heavenly Father does not change like shadows do.   

My wife asked me why I would choose to write about change.  My response was there have been a few small changes recently (a great summer intern just headed back to college and a couple of the junior high youth staff recently moved away).  In your lifetime you will see change.  Only God knows the changes that lie ahead for you.  But He can be trusted because the same God who made promises in His Word a couple thousand years ago is faithfully remaining…...the same.

Thinking About Tomorrow

If we were to look back at the last 100 years of church history in the USA we’d realize that a lot has changed.  Some of those changes have been good; many, not so good.  Most believers would agree that morality in America has been on a steady decline and it seems that with every step of decline society takes, the church follows right behind.  I’m waiting for the day when Christians wake up and say, “Hold on, enough is enough!  How did we ever get here?” 

It may come as a bit of a surprise, but I am optimistic as I look ahead.  Despite the spiritual decline we see in America, I am excited that true believers will stand out all the more.  You see it is “easy” to be a Christian in a “Christian nation,” but not so easy when a nation is intolerant of Christianity.   The farther society wanders from the truths of God’s Word, the more believers will expose how different they are from the world.  I believe it will only become increasingly more difficult to ride the fence and disguise our faith if we are going to truly follow the Lord.  This is what excites me because this is what Jesus intended all along for His church!  

So as we look to the future, I believe there is hope for the church.  The church may shrink in numbers, but it will only evidence who the true church really is.  My desire is that the body of Christ will realize how vain it is to try to blend with society.  I desire  to see Christians take a stronger stand for Christ.  I desire to see Christians excited to understand the relevance of the Bible and attend church with fellow Christians, not because it’s “the right thing to do,” but because they realize they need it!  I desire the church becomes confident that the world really has nothing that will satisfy the longings of the soul. I believe this is possible for the church of the 21^st century.  In countries where Christians are persecuted the most we find some with the strongest, most authentic faith.  The church is growing in parts of the world today and it seems to be in places where society is intolerant of Christianity.  God may use the spiritual crumbling of a nation to wake the church up.   

In America’s past, much of society looked to the church and God’s Word for direction.  Those days seem to be gone.  As we move into the future we must consider the cost and then unashamedly identify ourselves with Jesus.  A church like that will be worth being part of.  A church like that will, despite ridicule, be attractive.  A church like that will evidence that their focus really is on Christ, the true head of the church.  A church like that has a reward in heaven awaiting them.  I want to be part of that church, don’t you!