Pay It Forward: discipleship version

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Carl Simmons

If you’ve never seen the movie Pay It Forward, you’ve probably at least heard the concept, although you may or may not have been given the full picture. Usually it’s portrayed as: One person does a good, unselfish deed for someone else, who “pays it forward” to another person, and so on (and often with the implication that it will come back to us at some point). Which in itself certainly isn’t a bad thing.

But let’s come back to the movie illustration of it, portrayed on the right, which today we might call  “generosity gone viral.” It still starts with one person, who serves three other people, who then reach out to three more, and so on. Which becomes a huge impact in a hurry. And the one person at the top of the chart already has his or her reward—that person is watching this goodness, cooperation, a willingness to serve, faith that others would see it through, spread. Who wouldn’t want to see that?

Assuming you feel the same, here’s the next question: How could we apply this idea to the people we’re already invested in? Think about it. If you poured out your life in Jesus into —and I mean poured out into, not just “checked in regularly with” or “was accountable to”—just three other people each year, and each of them did the same thing… you can see the possibilities. And sure, some of the people you invest in won’t do this; but others will go far beyond this as God leads them. So let’s stay focused on the possibilities and dream a little today.

If we’ve really take Jesus’ words to heart and applied them, it’s likely we’ve already found ourselves in deeper, more meaningful relationships. It’s also likely that God has stirred up something else within us—a desire to grow even more people into the love of Jesus. That might mean expanding our circle of influence, maybe even taking more of a leadership role—because if God’s put something on your heart, he wants you to do something about it.

As you step into the mission God’s called you to, you may be surprised to discover who else God has been calling—but was waiting for you to step out and step up. And if we’re willing to make that investment in others, and help them see how they can impact others in the way God’s called them to, there’s no telling how big an impact our little contribution could make. And even if you never see the results, that’s OK. God sees it. And so does every person your life has touched, either directly or indirectly.

Let’s look at two passages—one at the very beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry and one near the end—both ultimately speaking to all of us:

“’The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim releaseto the captives
and the regaining of sight  to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year  of the Lord’s favor.’

“Then  he rolled up  the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then  he began to tell them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read’” (Luke 4:18-20, NET).

“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him,  ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When  did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them,  ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’ (Matt. 25:34-40, NET).

What connections do you see between Jesus’ mission and ours? What differences? And, why do you think Jesus puts so much value on the people we tend not to value?

You might know people who literally are poor, imprisoned, blind, or oppressed, and you might feel a burden to reach out to them. Maybe you don’t know these kinds of people personally, but you still feel a burden. Or maybe the people you’re thinking about aren’t literally suffering like this, but it’s obvious that they’re spiritually hurting.  And they need Jesus just as much, if not more, right now. So consider this:

• Whatever your definition is: Who are the poor/imprisoned/blind/oppressed in your life?
• How have you seen yourself as poor, imprisoned, blind, oppressed (or still do)?
• How has God been preparing you—investing in you, maybe through those things you just thought of in that last question—to “proclaim… the Lord’s favor” to others?

It’s important to discover the answers God wants you to have. Not the “right” answer. Not the answer that will make you feel less guilty. Not even “What should I do?” But the answer to this: What has God put on your heart, and what does He want you to do about it? And if that answer’s not clear, the ability to wait on God and enjoy His presence while you wait.

Go ahead and keep reading from Matthew 25, this time from verses 14-29, often known as “The Parable of the Talents.” And think about this:

• How have you already seen God turn the “small amount” he’s trusted you with into something bigger?
• Why should we welcome “many more responsibilities” as God gives them to us?
• In what ways do you still take what God’s given you and “[dig] a hole in the ground” to hide it?
• How might God want you to “dig out” and invest, so you can “celebrate together”? And what will that investment cost you?

Also, begin thinking about this : Who can come alongside and help you—either in a hands-on way, to help you think it through, to encourage you, to tell you how they walked through it, whatever? Who can pour into your life, as you’re learning to become that person to others?

Paul David Tripp, in his book Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, reminds us: “Remember, it is impossible to celebrate God’s work of transformation without confessing your need for more. No one is more ready to communicate God’s grace than someone who has faced his own desperate need for it.”

Let’s take all this to heart and move forward, together.

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Lay Down Your Shame

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Carl Simmons

“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8, NIV).

One of the very first things Peter says to Jesus captures a huge issue for a lot of us. After a night of fishing and catching nothing, Jesus blesses Peter, James and John with more fish than they can handle—and yet, all Peter can see is how short he’s fallen of God’s perfection.

Which, in itself, isn’t a bad thing. It’s not unusual for us, too, to react this way when we first truly encounter Jesus, and we always need to remember the truth in Peter’s words. But Jesus didn’t come just so He could “go away.” He calls us to lay down a life consumed by shame at who we are or what we’ve done.

The things we’ve done—and the evils done to us—are done. By continuing to base our identity in those things instead of allowing them to die, we will never approach God—or more to the point, let Him in, because God is already approaching us. We can’t undo what happened, but we can undo the hold of those things upon us. We can own our sin without it owning us. Jesus’ response to Peter, James and John confirms this: “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people” (Luke 5:10). Jesus calls each of us to lay down our shame, and follow Him forward instead.

But because of our willingness to identify ourselves by our worst moments, we’ll do just about anything to fill the hole that the Spirit should be occupying. We believe we need to be successful, popular, powerful, constantly entertained or occupied, because what we are and what we have isn’t good enough. That’s where the power of temptation lies—in the idea that who God created us to be, and what He’s created us for, isn’t good enough. That God got it—and us—wrong.

This brings us full-circle to letting go of this old, false self and embracing who were truly meant to be in Jesus; that’s what this laying-down process is all about. We are called to acknowledge our guilt and move on, not take up permanent residence in our shame or our hurts.

In a (hopefully not blasphemous) sense, Jesus has carried and shared in our guilt all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Like the first Adam, he looked on instead of stopping those events from occurring. The Fall could have been prevented. But it wasn’t. But let’s not forget another incident, in another garden several thousand years later, which Jesus also could have stopped from happening. But He didn’t. Jesus stopped in Gethsemane, and saw through at Calvary, what began in Eden.

The cross removes our guilt. All of it, if we’ll let it. However, it leaves responsibility. Jesus says to us, just as he did the woman caught in adultery, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more” (John 8:11, NET). And, to “take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21, KJV).

But it’s not all work and struggle. Let’s circle back to Peter, because God uses him to give us a great “before and after” picture. Three years later, mere days after Jesus’ resurrection and appearance to the disciples—and for that matter, mere days after Peter’s repeated denial of Jesus—we see almost the exact same scene as the one in Luke 5, this time in John chapter 21. Peter, James and John go fishing again; this time they’ve got Thomas, Nathanael and two other disciples with them (and after all the bickering throughout the gospels, it’s nice to see them finally starting to work together). And again, they have another bad night of fishing.

This time Jesus shows up on the shore—close enough to yell, but far enough that they can’t yet tell it’s Him. He tells them to cast out their nets, and again, the nets can’t hold all the fish they catch. Peter’s been here before; he realizes it’s Jesus.

But what’s Peter’s reaction this time? He throws himself into the sea and swims as fast as he can toward shore. He doesn’t wait for the boat to dock, or freak because the guy he’d betrayed only days earlier is maybe 100 yards away, back from the dead and knows how to walk on water. This time, Peter’s going as fast as he can to Jesus.

Clearly Peter’s still an impetuous kind of guy, and “a sinful man!”, but equally clearly he’s learned something about his relationship to Jesus. Peter, quite literally, is shame-less.

And now it’s our turn. Whatever has happened in our past is an opportunity for Jesus to transform it, and us, if we’ll let Him. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3). You are in fact already blessed because none of us deserve grace, and no matter who you are or where you stand with Jesus at this moment, His grace is offered to every one of us anyway, right now. And therefore, the challenge now becomes to receive and rejoice in that grace. The past is gone. Let it stay gone. And we’ll look more into that next week.

Lay It Down Today

What issues from your past came to mind as you read today? Get a piece of paper and write them down. Then bury your past—literally.

First, take some time to pray, giving over to God whatever you’ve written down, and asking the Spirit’s help in empowering you to keep letting those things go. Then, take your paper and bury it (or tear it up). Thank God for your past—because it’s made you who are today, and in brand-new ways you’re now willing to let Him reveal—but let whatever shame that remains in your past die, so you future can live.

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Following Jesus Where You Already Are

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Find yourself a  “Help Wanted” section in your newspaper (or if you like, visit an online job site). Take a minute to to look through the listings. What are some of the more interesting jobs advertised? Which ones do you have at least some of the qualifications for? For that matter, what’s the most interesting or unique job you’ve ever had?

Fact is, we also have a “job description” as Christians. We come from different walks of life and play a variety of roles, but there’s a certain character Jesus wants to develop in each of us—one that shows the rest of the world what a living relationship with Jesus actually looks like.

Jesus has already changed our lives, and He wants us to become even more like him. He wants to start in the places we already occupy: our homes, our workplaces, our relationships. But before we can talk about where we’re headed, we need to understand where we already are. So right now, think about some of the roles you play in life—in your family, at work, and with your friends.

Now: How can some of these roles sometimes feel like just roles—something you’re just acting out—instead of something that reflects who you really are?

Let’s look at a different kind of job description:

“An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer  must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work,  not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught,  so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it” (Titus 1:6-9, NET).

OK, truthfully: Who thought: “What does this have to do with me? This passage is about leaders”? But think about it: Are there any qualities here that aren’t relevant—in fact, expected—of every follower of Jesus?

Some of the qualities listed in this passage may come easily to us. About others we can honestly say, “God has dealt with me in this area, and I’m doing better.” Still others might be a continuing struggle. But it’s important to come to terms with where we are right now—even if it’s not where we’d like to be—and how God wants to inject his grace into our situation, whatever it is.

Here’s the good news: The fact that you’re actually taking the time to read this, presumably because you desire to learn more about God, proves that God is already helping you become the kind of people God wants you to be. And God’s not going to give up, even if we sometimes give up on ourselves. In fact, He’s already done more with us than we’ve realized—but we need to realize if we want to live it out more deeply.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matt. 5:13-16).

Look again at the passage above. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer points out in The Cost of Discipleship, “ ‘Ye are the salt.’ Jesus does not say: ‘You must be the salt.’ ” So think about it:

• In what ways do we sometimes seem bland or unappealing (or worse) to others, rather than people who are already “salted” by Jesus?
• Who’s the “saltiest” Christian you know? How do you see that person’s life affecting those around him or her? What would you most like to emulate in him or her?
• What parts of your life need to be salted more by the life you have in Jesus? What would help you become more “seasoned”?

Let’s defy the ways Christians get caricatured. Instead, let’s start living up to our job description.

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Remaining As You Go

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Carl Simmons

a little South Jersey spin for y'allThink about the last time you went crazy with an ice-cream sundae—or pizza, or for you more diet-conscious types let’s make it a salad. Why did you pick the toppings you did? How would other toppings have affected it differently? Literally savor the moment before going on.

Now: What’s going on in your life right now that you wish wasn’t so difficult or complex—where you wish there were a few less “toppings” piled on?

We’ve spent a lot of time here exploring how Jesus can use us to pour our lives into others around us, and help them move deeper into what God’s calling them to. But as we do, it becomes even more important for us to stay connected to Jesus. Even when things go well, our commitments can be demanding and even draining—physically, mentally, emotionally, and certainly spiritually.

Robert Gelinas, in the much-vaunted-here Finding the Groove, put it this way: “[W]e strive for bare minimums instead of what is truly possible, namely, unending, unbroken communion with Jesus. We were designed to live with God for all time, for God is with us all the time. But when time has us, grace is suffocated.”

And we have even better sources to draw from. Let’s revisit one from last week:

“I am the true vine  and my Father is the gardener. He takes away  every branch that does not bear  fruit in me. He  prunes  every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains  in  the vine, so neither can you unless you remain  in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains  in me – and I in him – bears  much fruit,  because apart from me you can accomplish  nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up. If you remain in me and my words remain  in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.  My Father is honored  by this, that  you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples” (John 15:1-8, NET).

Let’s take this idea of remaining and see how it applied to Jesus’ disciples even 2,000 years earlier. We’ve probably marveled at Jesus’ followers, and often not in a good way. How could they have missed so much when Jesus was right there in front of them? But if we’re honest and believe what Jesus tells us, we’re guilty of the exact same things. So let’s move past our own “dullness of heart” and look at both sides more clearly:

• What steps to growth, as it were, do you see in this passage?
• What things—even good things—can pull us away from Jesus?
• At what point do you usually realize you’ve stopped “remaining”? Why then? • When has Jesus prepared you to see him more clearly, even if you didn’t know at the time?
• How did staying connected to Jesus—even if you didn’t feel connected—help you get through that time?

A big key to remaining is… well, remaining. Not running around “doing stuff for Jesus,” but just remaining in His presence long enough to actually know something about Him and His desires, before doing His work—and long before we go adding any “toppings” to it.  Keith R. Anderson and Randy D. Reese, in Spiritual Mentoring: A Guide for Seeking and Giving Direction, suggest “Certainly the discipline of creating time for reflection is a lifeline for spiritual health. Without times in quiet, thoughtful reflection, our spirituality remains shallow, anemic and misguided.”

How do you connect most easily to Jesus? On the other hand, what spiritual disciplines don’t come easy at all? Either way, how can we bring more Christ-connections into our daily lives, and into our worship time as a church? Here are a few suggestions; try one, or try something else God’s putting on your heart. But try to remain, and may God honor and bless your time with Him:

• Take your own personal “walk to Emmaus.” Take an extended period time to take a walk on your own, pouring out what you’re feeling to Jesus. Put it all out there, so that Jesus has room to deal with your own “dullness of heart” and help you see past your hurts and struggling and instead see him.

• Do you have a regular devotional time with your family? Start one, or change it up. Use your time in God’s Word as a catalyst to see how God’s working in your lives, rather than a task to complete. Make most of your time about sharing what God’s doing or trying to do in your lives.

• Here’s a different approach toward your time together with friends: Instead of focusing on sharing about your own lives or on pushing each other forward (good things, but….), spend some time this week each sharing how you’re seeing God work in the other person. You may very well point out things to one another that you’re “too close” to see for yourselves.

• If you have a small group or ministry team, take a retreat as a group, and get more connected with Jesus and each other. Set aside a chunk of time—you should have at least an hour of pure alone time. After your time alone with God, gather back together and share about what you experienced during your time of sacred solitude. Also discuss how you can make a more regular time of this, both individually and as a group.

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Lay Down Your Sin

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Carl Simmons

That’s right; I said it.

And in the weeks to come we’ll break this down into much smaller pieces. Today, however, is about defining our terms—and our solution. Because no matter where you are in relation to Jesus, “sin” is an ugly word. Just saying the word causes problems, so let’s get on the same page before moving forward.

People define sin any number of ways, even within Christianity, and tend to subject it to their own ideology rather than the other way around. We like to name particular sins and highlight them—especially if they bear no resemblance to ours. Let’s face it: We would much rather confess other people’s sins than confess our own.

For that matter, we often like to draw the line at “well, I thought about it but I didn’t actually do it,” or “but I’m not hurting anyone else.” And sure, it’s better to have not damaged anyone else even as we’re damaging ourselves, even if the damage is “only” on the inside. But look at Jesus’ “but I say to you”s in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-48)—or just read the entire sermon in chapters 5-7. It’s pretty clear that Jesus doesn’t draw a line anywhere. All sin is condemned by God.

I would define it this way, then: Sin is the inability to respond to God. In every form. Totally expressed or barely conceived. Period. Any sins we commit are the result of sin we already have within us. I did not become rebellious; I was born rebellious. And that still gives me no excuse.

And at the same time, each of us is a victim of the sin around us. And not just in vague, general ways, but in specific, lousy and sometimes truly horrific ways. Sin is both within us and around us, and it’s that “around us” that we pick up on and adopt as our own—or respond to by taking judgment out of God’s hands and into our own, or by reveling in our victim status because at least it gives us some kind of identity.

That’s why I need Jesus. The good news of Jesus is not about tolerance of sin, or condemnation of sin, or wiping out my own personal enemies. It’s about victory over sin—starting with me. With you. And it’s a victory we have to receive from Jesus, before we can live it out.

So when we talk about laying down your sin, it’s not just, “Hey you—stop doing things God says are wrong.” That’s part of the package, to be sure, but it’s still only a part. It’s also laying down the sin you want to openly express but don’t. It’s laying down the sin that has been expressed upon you, by others—even the sin that hasn’t been expressed but you know is there. It’s saying Jesus died for all of it, and beginning to live as if that were actually true. Otherwise, perhaps we should just stop wasting our time even pretending to follow Jesus.

“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:20-21, NET).

Because of the hardness of our hearts, we will never totally be immune from the sin around us—or in us. But we no longer need to be slaves to it or victims of it. Jesus calls us to a different life. Let’s start living it. Today.

Lay It Down Today

If you were here a couple weeks ago, you reflected on your “life passage,” as well as a few questions including, “What’s the one thing that most needs transforming in my life—that God wants me to lay down right now?” Let’s take that further.

Identify someone you can share openly about your “one thing” with, and commit to getting with him or her on a weekly basis. It could be someone in your small group, or a friend you can share with and who cares enough to keep you accountable—someone who won’t let you off the hook but won’t judge you either. If you truly don’t know who to turn to, ask God for guidance right now; then, let Him lead you to someone, even if you don’t know him or her well yet. And may God bless and grow your spiritual friendship as you pursue it together.

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This One’s for the LA-dies…

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Since last week’s Other Voice highlighted the exploits of Super(vandy)man, it’s only fair…. And as I couldn’t bring myself to highlighting one and thus slighting the other—and as they’re both friends who are also friends of each other…

Both are passionate women’s-ministry writers I’ve enjoyed working with, and both have product out there you should go fetch as well. So, without further ado, I give you… either first-and-foremost or last-but-not-least, your call….

Sunny Side Up (not scrambled) by Linda Crawford
Linda also has a more intermittent blog I hope she won’t mind my referencing, especially since I love the title: Do It Afraid.

and

Pure Purpose by Susan Lawrence
Be sure to check out Susan’s brand-new book from WestBow Press/Thomas Nelson, Pure Emotion. And if you need a speaker for your women’s conference, now you know where to find her.

So explore. And enjoy. And get ready to Lay It all Down again tomorrow….

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We’re All on Mission

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Carl Simmons

It’s true. And I didn’t unintentionally leave out the “a” above. But don’t take my word for it….

“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away  every branch that does not bear  fruit in me. He  prunes  every branch that bears  fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains  in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains  in me – and I in him – bears  much fruit,  because apart from me you can accomplish nothing”   (John 15:1-5, NET).

So think about it:

• How have you felt more connected to Jesus—or to other Christians—over the past few months?
• How have you felt God pruning you over the last few months? What’s been the fruit of that process so far?
• What’s one way you need to remain in Jesus, in a way you really haven’t up to now?

So what’s your mission right now? What’s God been showing you recently, and what do you think He wants you to do about it? How does it translate into your personal life? your relationships? your world?

Take some time to write down your thoughts right now, if you can. Better yet, write down a specific commitment—again, if you can. Don’t approach this exercise with the idea that you have to get everything just right. You’re a work in progress, and God knows that—because He’s the one who’s working in you. But capture as best as you can what God has been doing in your life, and what you sense God is leading you to do in response to that.

Now, reflect on this passage, and the questions that follow:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NET).

• Over the past few months, how have you seen God working through the other people He’s put around you?
• How have you seen some of the things God’s been teaching you about modeled by others? How has it inspired you to keep running the race (or to really start running it)? Be specific.
• How might these people support you, as you take the next steps God’s calling you to take?

If your responses to these questions inspire you to add to what you’ve already written down, go ahead and add it now.

Think once more about the people who came to mind—especially those people you’ve shared your lives, your struggles, and most important, the grace that God has shown each of us through Jesus. Take time now to thank God for those people, how He’s been working inside and through each of them, and His plans for each of them. Ask God to put more people in your path to help keep you on the path—to encourage you, to stick with you when you’re struggling, to help you work through what God’s trying to do in your life.

And ask God help you to be that person for others as well. And may He answer those prayers clearly and quickly.  

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Lay Down Your Pride: more fragments

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Now that we know who we are in Christ and have our heads on straight, we can start to deal with laying down our sin. We’ll begin exploring this more broadly next week, but today we start with one sin in particular: Pride.

Every act of pride is an act of rebellion. We’re not talking about taking pride in your work or being proud of your kids—we’re talking about the kind of pride that says, “This is mine and only mine. I am right. I, and I alone, deserve this.” Or it may fly the other way. We might be so filled with self-hatred that we say to God, “You can’t help me. You can’t love me. No-one can. I am alone and I will stay that way. Because at least that’s mine.”

Now, most of us don’t actually talk this way—we don’t want to seem proud, after all—but think about your last angry or bitter reaction, whether anyone saw it or not. How does it stack up against our thoughts above? How did you say or think it? For that matter, think about why we shy away from discussion on religion or politics—or bully our way right through. Because our way, our beliefs, are threatened.

But God is not threatened or intimidated. God can take care of Himself—and us. But we must lay down our pride and let Him.

**********

“The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit – O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject” (Psalm 51:17, NET). Repentance is not just turning back; more importantly, it is starting over.

Again, if change is only in our heads, it’s a short-lived change at best. But when our hearts and spirits change, our bodies (and heads) follow. Our “sacrifice” becomes something we do joyfully instead of grudgingly. When we lay down our pride and become willing to change, our desire to put ourselves above others drops. Through humility, we put ourselves in the same boat as those we used to separate ourselves from, and we no longer desire to see that boat sink.

Lay It Down Today

Find a mirror, and then take a good five minutes to look at it—or rather, at you. Don’t fix anything. Don’t primp. And don’t make faces. Just look. At you. Spend enough time looking that you’re no longer comfortable with what you see. Or, if you already hate looking at yourself, spend enough time that you’re able to see the person God created—the person behind what you see. Either way, take the time now to see yourself differently—from God’s perspective.

Then, pray. Ask God to help you not forget the person you are in His eyes. Ask Him to give you the strength to lay down your pride and live out the word He’s given you. Take some time tonight (or tomorrow night, if it’s already evening) to “reflect” on how God uses you in the next 24 hours. May God bless you as you live out His life today.

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Shawn Vander Lugt Is AWESOME!

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Carl Simmons

No, this blog hasn’t been hijacked. Just thought I’d make today’s Other Voice a little more personal. And besides, he makes the same claim on his blog this week: http://shawnvanderlugt.com.

What’s more, he lives out his claim. By day, he’s mild-mannered, laid-back Shawn. His former employee photo, however, betrays him, as he boldly pulls his shirt open to reveal the emblazoned “S” underneath.

(I was hoping said photo had somehow leaked out there on the web, but it was not to be. FWIW, my own earlier employee photo was a takeoff on that, only  intended to instead reveal a “God Went Bowling” t-shirt. The results, suffice to say, were nowhere as pretty.)

Anyway, I worked with Shawn for more than three years, and had things gone differently we’d be likely working together making adult/small-group resources a safer product to buy. But this, also, was not to be. But he is an experienced writer and editor who specializes in youth and has also handled children and adult resources with aplomb (see his About page for more details).

And the aforementioned blog never fails to be interesting. Mixing personal vignettes with beartrap reformed theology is always a tricky proposition to begin with, but it’s one Shawn handles admirably.

So go check him out. And throw him work if you’ve got some, to help keep him in Loveland, Colorado. After all, the mountaintops are finally melting down and  there’s plenty of hiking left to do here this summer. 🙂

Tomorrow: Back to Laying It Down….

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How good is your news?

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Go find an old newspaper—the older the better, but week-old is probably enough to make the point. Go ahead; take a few moments to look it over. Do you recall any of the stories you’re reading? Do any of them appear to be relevant to your life right now?

Next question: What’s a “big story” you do remember, where now you think, “Why did I get so worked up over that?” How did you (and others) respond to it at the time?

In the words of the late Peter Falk, “Just one more question…”: The word “gospel” means “good news”—in fact, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the best news of all. Do you still treat it like news, or more like…. well, like the newspaper you’re holding? Why?

It’s been said that we may be the only gospel some people may ever read. If our own sense of what Jesus has done for us—and is doing in our lives right now—is like our newspapers, it’s easy to understand why no-one’s buying. What would help us treat the gospel of Jesus Christ like it’s still “breaking news”—for us and others?

Let’s look at one eyewitness account of that good news, and go from there. Each time you come across a sensory word—“heard,” “seen,” “touched”—pause for a few seconds. Think about what was just read; imagine what John and his readers must have actually experienced as they read or relived what’s being described here:

“This is what we proclaim to you:  what was from the beginning,  what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life – and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us). What we have seen and heard we announce  to you too, so that  you may have fellowship  with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ). Thus  we are writing these things so that  our   joy may be complete” (1 John 1:1-4, NET).

When’s the last time you shared your experience of Jesus with someone else, or when someone else observed your faith and responded to it in some way? How did sharing your faith affect them? How did their responses affect you?

If you’re having trouble answering this, let’s step back. If you can, turn the lights out in your room, and reflect on this question, then turn the lights back on when you’re done:

When have you felt “in the dark” and disconnected from Jesus—even if you were already a Christian? (It happens, you know. Admit it.) What happened to finally turn the light on (or back on) for you?

OK, lights back on? Good. Think about your reaction to those lights coming back on. How can we help peoples’ eyes adjust so they can see the light of Jesus? What do we need to change in ourselves to help that to happen?

And again, just one more question: What holds you back from “letting your light shine” more than you do right now? Honestly?

Maybe it’s fear of catching flak, or worse. Maybe it’s fear that you don’t measure up to the message you’re sharing. But that’s part of the good news, too: None of us do. And yet, we have been forgiven and called to follow Jesus anyway. Living in that truth—not just treating it like old news but seeking to live in that in every moment, despite how hopelessly short we might come at times—is what speaks volumes to those around us.

So ask God to help you to have the courage and wisdom to truly “let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, NET).

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