I've never really written something to someone specifically. And this isn't even for one specific person- moreso to a specific group of people. So this is simply random pieces of advice and thoughts that I wanted to relay to you, Trevecca Nazarene University's class of 2015.
I'd like to start off by saying that if you ever need to talk to someone, Becky McMahon is probably the most awesome person to do that with. She, as well as her sister Kayla, are two of the most amazing people that I look up to for their strength in themselves and in their values. And I think all three of us owe Tom Middendorf more than we could ever put into words for the guidance that he has given us and the time he has spent empowering us within ourselves.
It's been a crazy journey. I am entering my third and final year as a college student. I could go with the cliche and say "It seems like only yesterday.." bit, but I'd rather just tell you that college is a place that should not be underestimated.
I'm not going to go into detail about my college experience. I can sit here and go on for days about everything that happened. Right now, I want to give you a small amount of advice that I wish someone had given me when I was starting this new chapter in my life. We can grab coffee and I can tell you stories sometime. And really- I drink so much coffee, I am surprised I don't pee it.
But there's this story that Christ tells and I've read it time and time again, but never really read into it as much as I have lately.
So you've got this guy. He's rich. I mean, I don't think he's 'Donald Trump' rich... but he's pretty stinkin rich.
And this guy who has all sorts of money pulls all of his slaves (today, they are called executives) together and tells them that he is going on this long journey in which he will give his estate, his property, over to his slaves for them to grow while he is gone.
This man distributes 8 talents. Now, I don't know how much that means to you, but that's a ton of money.
A talent is a greek coin thats worth around 6,000 drachmas...and a drachma is about 1 days wage. So.. 6,000 days wages times 8 is about...
48,000 days of work. Thats over 131 years of work.
So you have this man who has worked an extremely long time and extremely hard to build up this estate and he is now leaving it in the hands of his executives to invest and grow his estate.
Did I mention it was over 131 years worth of work?
So he splits up his estate into 8 different parts- 5 parts going to one executive, 2 parts going to another, and 1 part going to a final servant/executive; each according to his own ability. And he goes off on this journey.
Let's say he went to Italy. There really is a lot to do in Italy, and it is an absolutely gorgeous place. I would totally understand if someone came to me and gave me their estate to go escape there.
So this man goes on this long tour through Italy.. we can call it the "Tour de Italia". It sounds cool.
And he comes back after many years of sightseeing and hiking and learning and he calls all of his executives together to see what has come of his estate since he left. The first executive (the one with the 5 talents) walks up to him and gives him back his five talents and says, 'Master, you have given me five talents- but look! I have taken your five and invested them and earned five more talents!'
This guy who has been gone for so long looks at his executive and says, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant! You were faithful over few things; I will put you in charge of many!'
So then the executive with 2 talents comes up to him and gives him back his 2 talents and says, 'Master, you gave me two talents- but see here! I have taken your two and grown them into four, doubling what you gave me!'
So this guy who has been gone for so long looks at his executive and says, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant! You were faithful over few things; I will put you in charge of many!'
Then the executive that was given 1 talent walks up and with as much energy as the other two, he says, 'Master, you gave me one talent! You are a difficult man, one who takes what is not his- so I hid the talent in the ground and here: you have what is yours!'
Pause. I don't even know how I would have responded to the third servant.. but, here's how the master did:
The master looks at the third executive and says to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew that I took what was not mine, why didn't you take this to the bank? At least when I returned I would have gotten what was mine plus interest! Take your talent and give it to the servant with 10 talents! For everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have enough; but everyone who doesn't have, even what he has will be taken from him! Throw this good-for-nothing slave into the darkenss; the place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
WHEW!!
The master sort of flipped out on that third executive. But it makes sense. If my master came to me and told me that he is giving me X amount of money and that I need to grow that... well, I would work on growing it. I wouldn't stash it away to hide it.
Or would I?
So many people take this on as a financial lesson. But it far surpasses that of a simple financial lesson. I find it quite ironic that the name of a currency is a 'talent', when today, the word 'talent' to us means a special or unique characteristic.
So what if we read the story in the light of Jesus being the master, and us being the servants. Isn't that kind of a cool angle on the story?
But wait a minute. Why does she get 5 special talents, but I only get 2?! That's not fair.
People are born into different blessings. Not everyone is born into the same surrounding. But you notice how the master rewarded the first two servants equally- although they were in charge of inequal amounts, they were rewarded the same.
You, my friend, have a special gift.
I cannot tell you what that is. But I can tell you that you have one. That, I am sure of.
You were born in just the right place and in just the right time so that God could use you to the best of your ability.
Now the question is- are you going to grow your talents, or are you going to hide them?
5.16.2011
Burn this, Rob Bell.
If you think this is about Rob Bell's new book Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, then you will be disappointed. I haven't read the book nor do I plan to (although may break down eventually and read it).
I came across an interesting story the other day and have had a few thoughts about it, but I wanted to take some time to really delve into it and fully understand the story and how I could relate it to today. It's a familiar parable that most everyone has heard. It's about chocolate bunnies and disobedient fruit.
So there's this King. King Nebakanoozie or Barakahatrumpy or something.
Or King Nebuchadnezzar. That works too. (I had to research how to spell that.)
Anyways, this guy made this.. thing. The NIV says an image of gold. I'm guessing they mean a statue, because they say it's about 90 feet tall and about 9 feet wide. It doesn't really say what it looks like. It just says that it's about 90 feet tall and about 9 feet wide. It's big- you get the point.
So after- well, the Bible says HE made this statue, but I have a feeling it wasn't him. :) You know, like Pharaoh made the Pyramids. No he didn't. The Hebrews did.
But that's beside the point.
So Nebazeunheidt- I mean, Nebuchadnezzar, gathered all of the officials and nobles to the ends of his reign. He proceeds to tell them that they have to bow down and worship this great piece of metal (that just sits there, might I add). They have to bend their bodies- they have to 'fall down' whenever the music sounds- again, to worship this amazing piece of metal.
What do you think the king saw in this? All of his people- all of the people that he reigns over, are now not focused on him, but focused on something that only King Nebuchadnezzar has invested time and power into. How did he get everyone to listen to him?
He was a great leader! I mean, he got an entire nation to bow down and worship a silly little (or big) piece of solid metal! Precious metal, mind you!
Just kidding.
He gave his people an ultimatum. He told them that if they didn't bow down and worship, he would throw them into a 'blazing furnace'.
I don't know about you guys, but I hate the idea of burning to death. Unless they added a little salt and pepper..
A furnace (no doubt taken from the latin word fornax- meaning oven) from the 1st or 2nd century would look a little different than today's conventional 'oven'. Back then, it was called a blast furnace- chemicals and fuel are continuously supplied from the top while air is blown from the bottom- creating a whirlwind of chemical reactions (fires) that are taking place throughout the entire furnace.
To put it simply, if King Nebuchadnezzar was to drop you into the furnace, you would be dead before you hit the ground- that is, if there was anything left of you by then. My apologies for the gruesome details.
Anyways, to move the story along- the music played and the people bowed down. And the king was happy.
Until some nosey, tattletale Chaldeans (part of the Assyrian peoples- known for their high level of cruelty and torture) ran to the king and let him know that there were three jews who, when the music began to play, did not bow down.
So Neb summonned them. He was pretty straightforward with them- 'Either you bow down to my gods and my statue when my music plays, I will throw you into my blazing furnace. Then what god will save you then?'
King Neb gave them a second chance! They could have gone free and all could have been avoided.
But no.
They replied to him- 'We do not need to defend ourselves from this matter. Regardless of if our God saves us or not- we will not bow down to your god, we will not bow down to your statue, and we will not bow down to you.'
Now, you can understand how angry this made the king. In fact, it made him so angry that he ordered the furnace (which was already fatally hot enough) to be heated to seven times hotter than the usual.
So the guards roped up the three jews and took them to the top of the furnace so that they could fall into the heated abyss that Neb had created for them. In fact, the king had ordered it so hot that when the guards pushed the three men into the fire, the heat killed the guards.
So here is Nebuchadnezzar with a couple of cooked guards and a kingdom of people who will obey him.
And the four people in the furnace- we can't forget about them.
I mean really- did you think this story was going nowhere?
Nebuchadnezzar looks into the fire and sees four figures walking around.
Didn't he throw three in?
Why in the world are they walking around?
Who is this fourth person?
What? Wait, wait, wait. This isn't how it was supposed to go.
Guys drop in the furnace, furnace goes poof, guys go bye-bye. The end.
Or not. God had a different idea.
So now you've got these four guys walking around inside the furnace- so King Neb calls them out of the furnace. So the three men walk out of the furnace- unharmed.
Who was in the furnace?!
Well duh, silly. It was an angel. Haven't you heard these types of stories before?
King Nebuchadnezzar and the officers and nobles of the kingdom surrounded the three in awe of what had just happened. The king decrees that no harm be done to the three, on pain of death.
Right- so the king was gonna kill these guys, but when he finds out that their God is not one to pick a fight with, he protects them.
Sounds like a real wimp to me. Pushover.
But really- what was Jesus' point in telling this parable?
We have those above us in authority that have the power to create, to manipulate, to coerce, to reward, to do just about anything to make us do what they want us to do.
We have possessions that- whether intangible or tangible- defer our attention away from God.
Technology, communication, people, ideas, self. Those are a few of the idols I see worshipped today.
When I was a little boy, my family would all gather together and we would pray together.
But we wouldn't just stand there and hold hands or sit around the table and pray.
We would all physically bend down and fold our hands together and close our eyes and we would take turns, listening to each others prayers.
I'm not saying that there is something about doing that that makes it official- but I am saying that it makes it authentic.
We, as a family, kneeled- bowed- fell to God and worshipped him. Now, as we got older, we stopped doing that.
Or should I say, we stopped doing that together.
Often times, after crawling in bed and getting all warm and cozy, will crawl back out of bed and kneel by my bed and fold my hands and close my eyes and have one on one time with my God.
Sometimes I will wake up at 1am (even though it's 3am now) and crawl out of bed and say a quick prayer.
I just can't help myself but ask:
Where has the authenticity gone?
Where has our focus gone?
Where has our determination gone?
The questions are endless.
The answers?
Well, that's up to you.
I came across an interesting story the other day and have had a few thoughts about it, but I wanted to take some time to really delve into it and fully understand the story and how I could relate it to today. It's a familiar parable that most everyone has heard. It's about chocolate bunnies and disobedient fruit.
So there's this King. King Nebakanoozie or Barakahatrumpy or something.
Or King Nebuchadnezzar. That works too. (I had to research how to spell that.)
Anyways, this guy made this.. thing. The NIV says an image of gold. I'm guessing they mean a statue, because they say it's about 90 feet tall and about 9 feet wide. It doesn't really say what it looks like. It just says that it's about 90 feet tall and about 9 feet wide. It's big- you get the point.
So after- well, the Bible says HE made this statue, but I have a feeling it wasn't him. :) You know, like Pharaoh made the Pyramids. No he didn't. The Hebrews did.
But that's beside the point.
So Nebazeunheidt- I mean, Nebuchadnezzar, gathered all of the officials and nobles to the ends of his reign. He proceeds to tell them that they have to bow down and worship this great piece of metal (that just sits there, might I add). They have to bend their bodies- they have to 'fall down' whenever the music sounds- again, to worship this amazing piece of metal.
What do you think the king saw in this? All of his people- all of the people that he reigns over, are now not focused on him, but focused on something that only King Nebuchadnezzar has invested time and power into. How did he get everyone to listen to him?
He was a great leader! I mean, he got an entire nation to bow down and worship a silly little (or big) piece of solid metal! Precious metal, mind you!
Just kidding.
He gave his people an ultimatum. He told them that if they didn't bow down and worship, he would throw them into a 'blazing furnace'.
I don't know about you guys, but I hate the idea of burning to death. Unless they added a little salt and pepper..
A furnace (no doubt taken from the latin word fornax- meaning oven) from the 1st or 2nd century would look a little different than today's conventional 'oven'. Back then, it was called a blast furnace- chemicals and fuel are continuously supplied from the top while air is blown from the bottom- creating a whirlwind of chemical reactions (fires) that are taking place throughout the entire furnace.
To put it simply, if King Nebuchadnezzar was to drop you into the furnace, you would be dead before you hit the ground- that is, if there was anything left of you by then. My apologies for the gruesome details.
Anyways, to move the story along- the music played and the people bowed down. And the king was happy.
Until some nosey, tattletale Chaldeans (part of the Assyrian peoples- known for their high level of cruelty and torture) ran to the king and let him know that there were three jews who, when the music began to play, did not bow down.
So Neb summonned them. He was pretty straightforward with them- 'Either you bow down to my gods and my statue when my music plays, I will throw you into my blazing furnace. Then what god will save you then?'
King Neb gave them a second chance! They could have gone free and all could have been avoided.
But no.
They replied to him- 'We do not need to defend ourselves from this matter. Regardless of if our God saves us or not- we will not bow down to your god, we will not bow down to your statue, and we will not bow down to you.'
Now, you can understand how angry this made the king. In fact, it made him so angry that he ordered the furnace (which was already fatally hot enough) to be heated to seven times hotter than the usual.
So the guards roped up the three jews and took them to the top of the furnace so that they could fall into the heated abyss that Neb had created for them. In fact, the king had ordered it so hot that when the guards pushed the three men into the fire, the heat killed the guards.
So here is Nebuchadnezzar with a couple of cooked guards and a kingdom of people who will obey him.
And the four people in the furnace- we can't forget about them.
I mean really- did you think this story was going nowhere?
Nebuchadnezzar looks into the fire and sees four figures walking around.
Didn't he throw three in?
Why in the world are they walking around?
Who is this fourth person?
What? Wait, wait, wait. This isn't how it was supposed to go.
Guys drop in the furnace, furnace goes poof, guys go bye-bye. The end.
Or not. God had a different idea.
So now you've got these four guys walking around inside the furnace- so King Neb calls them out of the furnace. So the three men walk out of the furnace- unharmed.
Who was in the furnace?!
Well duh, silly. It was an angel. Haven't you heard these types of stories before?
King Nebuchadnezzar and the officers and nobles of the kingdom surrounded the three in awe of what had just happened. The king decrees that no harm be done to the three, on pain of death.
Right- so the king was gonna kill these guys, but when he finds out that their God is not one to pick a fight with, he protects them.
Sounds like a real wimp to me. Pushover.
But really- what was Jesus' point in telling this parable?
We have those above us in authority that have the power to create, to manipulate, to coerce, to reward, to do just about anything to make us do what they want us to do.
We have possessions that- whether intangible or tangible- defer our attention away from God.
Technology, communication, people, ideas, self. Those are a few of the idols I see worshipped today.
When I was a little boy, my family would all gather together and we would pray together.
But we wouldn't just stand there and hold hands or sit around the table and pray.
We would all physically bend down and fold our hands together and close our eyes and we would take turns, listening to each others prayers.
I'm not saying that there is something about doing that that makes it official- but I am saying that it makes it authentic.
We, as a family, kneeled- bowed- fell to God and worshipped him. Now, as we got older, we stopped doing that.
Or should I say, we stopped doing that together.
Often times, after crawling in bed and getting all warm and cozy, will crawl back out of bed and kneel by my bed and fold my hands and close my eyes and have one on one time with my God.
Sometimes I will wake up at 1am (even though it's 3am now) and crawl out of bed and say a quick prayer.
I just can't help myself but ask:
Where has the authenticity gone?
Where has our focus gone?
Where has our determination gone?
The questions are endless.
The answers?
Well, that's up to you.
12.20.2010
"Cest La Vie"
I hate it when people say, "Well, it was meant to be."
That just drives me crazy.
If you haven't seen Inception yet, I would advise you to watch that before you read this. There are references to it and I don't want to ruin the movie for you guys- and for real: watch the movie. It's amazing.
I've seen that movie 6 times in the past week; to say that I liked the movie is an understatement.
People drive me crazy sometimes.
Especially when they say something like, "Oh well, it was meant to be."
Why do they say that? Does it make themselves feel better about something that they don't like? Maybe it was even their fault that something happened! But no, they want to blame it on "human nature" or even "life".
Of course.
It's never our fault.
I forgot we don't know how to take blame for things that we mess up on.
(Sometimes I feel as if you would feel as if I am writing at you. I assure you, I am not. Everything I write about, I process and struggle with myself.)
But yeah.
Not my fault I am in a bad mood.
Not my fault things frustrate me.
Did you just cut me off? I'm gonna honk so that you know you just cut me off... (because they didn't know you were there, hopefully, and now they know.. because.. that changes things...?)
We get frustrated so easily, it seems.
We get mad, blame things on others, and suck our thumbs about it.
Whoop-de-do.
Ya just threw a temper tantrum.
Yup.
Now everybody is looking at you like, "What's wrong with that person?"
Good job.
You don't have a heart.
I'm sure you don't mean it to come across that way, but it does from time to time.
But it wasn't our fault. We had a right to get mad.
Really?
How many times have you told yourself that?
"I have a right to be mad at this person because they did this to me."
Are you kidding me?
Wake up, Greg.
You have no right to get mad because something didn't go your way.
Or even messed up your plan.
Or was just unexpected.
Or you just felt like getting mad.
Right.
Let's get back to what I was saying.
"It was meant to be."
Or..
"It wasn't meant to be."
Kinda just feels like an excuse.
A way out of figuring out the real problem.
People seem to have given up their control over their lives.
Greg, I am letting you know now that you have control.
You may not have control over emotion, I'm not sure. There is too much biology in that for me to know. I'm a business major, not science.
But whether or not you have control over your emotion, you do have control over your actions.
You even have control over how you choose to percieve.
(Here comes the Inception reference. For those of you who haven't seen it, I'm giving you one last chance to look away.)
The top doesn't stop.
The film just stops without you letting you see the end of the top spinning.
Does it keep spinning?
Does it topple?
I don't think it is a question.
The director, Christopher Nolan, is trying to get across a point, a point that I think most people have yet to see.
It's not a question.
It's a choice.
How do you want to choose to view reality?
You have options.
You have choices.
You are in control.
Do you understand it now?
It's not a question of how things play out.
It's not an answer of the easiest explanation.
It's about you having control over your life.
You have been empowered.
God has given you a special gift- a gift He has only given you.
Have you used it?
Have you even tried to find out what it is?
Or are you just letting life go on auto-pilot, letting it find you in 40 years?
You. Have. Control.
Don't forget that.
That just drives me crazy.
If you haven't seen Inception yet, I would advise you to watch that before you read this. There are references to it and I don't want to ruin the movie for you guys- and for real: watch the movie. It's amazing.
I've seen that movie 6 times in the past week; to say that I liked the movie is an understatement.
People drive me crazy sometimes.
Especially when they say something like, "Oh well, it was meant to be."
Why do they say that? Does it make themselves feel better about something that they don't like? Maybe it was even their fault that something happened! But no, they want to blame it on "human nature" or even "life".
Of course.
It's never our fault.
I forgot we don't know how to take blame for things that we mess up on.
(Sometimes I feel as if you would feel as if I am writing at you. I assure you, I am not. Everything I write about, I process and struggle with myself.)
But yeah.
Not my fault I am in a bad mood.
Not my fault things frustrate me.
Did you just cut me off? I'm gonna honk so that you know you just cut me off... (because they didn't know you were there, hopefully, and now they know.. because.. that changes things...?)
We get frustrated so easily, it seems.
We get mad, blame things on others, and suck our thumbs about it.
Whoop-de-do.
Ya just threw a temper tantrum.
Yup.
Now everybody is looking at you like, "What's wrong with that person?"
Good job.
You don't have a heart.
I'm sure you don't mean it to come across that way, but it does from time to time.
But it wasn't our fault. We had a right to get mad.
Really?
How many times have you told yourself that?
"I have a right to be mad at this person because they did this to me."
Are you kidding me?
Wake up, Greg.
You have no right to get mad because something didn't go your way.
Or even messed up your plan.
Or was just unexpected.
Or you just felt like getting mad.
Right.
Let's get back to what I was saying.
"It was meant to be."
Or..
"It wasn't meant to be."
Kinda just feels like an excuse.
A way out of figuring out the real problem.
People seem to have given up their control over their lives.
Greg, I am letting you know now that you have control.
You may not have control over emotion, I'm not sure. There is too much biology in that for me to know. I'm a business major, not science.
But whether or not you have control over your emotion, you do have control over your actions.
You even have control over how you choose to percieve.
(Here comes the Inception reference. For those of you who haven't seen it, I'm giving you one last chance to look away.)
The top doesn't stop.
The film just stops without you letting you see the end of the top spinning.
Does it keep spinning?
Does it topple?
I don't think it is a question.
The director, Christopher Nolan, is trying to get across a point, a point that I think most people have yet to see.
It's not a question.
It's a choice.
How do you want to choose to view reality?
You have options.
You have choices.
You are in control.
Do you understand it now?
It's not a question of how things play out.
It's not an answer of the easiest explanation.
It's about you having control over your life.
You have been empowered.
God has given you a special gift- a gift He has only given you.
Have you used it?
Have you even tried to find out what it is?
Or are you just letting life go on auto-pilot, letting it find you in 40 years?
You. Have. Control.
Don't forget that.
12.05.2010
Insight into Thoughts
My Relevant Paradigm
I’m not going to lie. I don’t know how to write this paper. It seems I have to reach down deep inside myself and pull out words- words that describe me in a way that I have never thought before. I’m writing this paper in dialogue format; a simple letter from me to you (whoever you may be). The grammar may not be the greatest. The form won’t be perfect. What I can tell you is this: the passion behind this paper will be among the most forceful I have ever written. This will not be a close-ended paper. I will not wrap a gift and hand it to you, even if it is nearing Christmas. Instead, I will pose questions; questions that may or may not be answered. I will throw a common conception and turn it around. Of course, none of this can be done without background information. “The past”, as Wendell Berry states it, “is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it.”
I’ve grown up in the same community my entire life. I’ve had the same group of friends and my family has been a functional family, as some would call it. There hasn’t been too much strife. There was one time when I was diagnosed with a tennis-ball sized brain tumor, but again, the same friends were there; the same family. I wonder what it would have been like if they had changed from time to time. As I see this same group of friends, though, I see multiple sets of personalities and dozens of different lifestyles. I’ve grown up in the same church since birth. Dr. Reed, the former pastor of my church and president of my university, dedicated me. He asked the entire congregation if they would help in raising me along with my two wonderful parents. They agreed. Most people my age, I would guess, have a mindset that the older generations are not relevant to their generation; I would stand on the entire opposite side of that statement. Without knowing and understanding those who have come before us, how can we define ourselves? We only know how to create fire because cavemen, thousands of years ago, took a risk and tried something new. My church has definitely been that caveman for me; being a part of something as large as my church is a wonderful feeling, whether it is through heartbreak or triumph. We’ve tried new things; they haven’t always worked out, but we care enough about each other to keep trying new things.
I cannot describe how much my parents mean to me. This sounds entirely too cliché, but my parents are some of my greatest role models. My mom has taught me what it means to take charge and hold of a situation. She has also taught me a little of what love means; most of that cannot be put into words. My dad has taught me that the right way isn’t always the way that seems most obvious. I think a lot of my ‘strategery’ comes from him; such as the chess games we used to play when I was a kid, the business ideas we would create as I got older, and simply tackling life’s obstacles together.
Tom Middendorf is yet another example of leadership that was, is, and hopefully will forever be in my life (and no, this is not a plug for extra credit in the paper… although if you wanted to, it wouldn’t be unreasonable). If there is any one person I have processed life with the most, it would be him without a doubt. Life isn’t always easy- everyone has taught me that, but Tom has taught me beyond that. He’s taken the time to clear up misunderstanding and the general confusion of life in itself. What is it, though, that makes him create such an impact on me? He has become engrossed in my generation, showing us that he actually cares for us. He understands that I’m not perfect and still has a willingness to learn about me.
Leadership is nothing but a word; the Y Generation (1984-2002) seems to think that, at least. We’ve taken the people that have been placed in positions of power and called them leaders; and part of me wants to agree. They are the people with the most influence. I don’t think Tom and I will ever agree on the fact that leadership is entirely dependent on influence. A paradigm is a model; a leader is someone who guides, directs, and influences outcomes. I think the question we must ask ourselves is this: what makes a true, right leader? The problem: the definition of right and wrong seem to be different for everyone. Of course, if truth is fact, we must hunt for truth to find out what is right and what is wrong. If someone could answer the question “What is truth?” for me, I would be forever grateful. Experiences and influences seem to shape this understanding of right and wrong for us, and I hate that. Do the rules of life really come down to a simple, yet perplexing, change in perception?
I’ve compiled a list of five qualities that I think a leader should have. It is immeasurably hard to define a leader in five qualities. The list could go on and on with them, many of which that fit perfectly with the culture. Of course, the five that I have chosen go beyond the culture, and could very well stand the test of time.
Leaders must be able to understand in order to lead effectively. This one was almost obvious to me; it is hard to lead people you do not understand. It is like me trying to tell my grandparents how to use a computer. Our thought processes and language are entirely different, and if we don’t understand how to communicate with one another, there is no point in even trying to teach them how to use what I have grown up with. I can change the font on a paper in less than five seconds, while they can change the font on a paper… well, I am not entirely sure that they can. It turns into a hodgepodge of meaningless words if I do not understand how to communicate and lead them.
How can you understand someone different from you if you don’t have the willingness to learn? It’s a guaranteed fact that people will be different from you- from culture to culture, generation to generation, and person to person it will always be different. If you don’t have the open-mindedness to accept the fact that someone is different from you, and you must learn about them to be able to direct them into where they need to go, then you will never be able to be an effective leader. I’m eating these words as I type them. Is it not possible for someone to simply set an example and for people to follow, regardless of an understanding of each other? Of course it’s possible, but it changes the entire definition of leadership. It takes the focus away from the leader and puts it on the followers. I would venture to say that understanding is not necessary for leadership, but it does add a certain level of knowledge and would enhance the effectiveness of it.
I don’t know if the next three qualities mean anything now that the focus is taken away from the leaders. This list of qualities has changed at least half-a-dozen times since the beginning. The third quality I picked was negotiation. Both a leader and their followers must be willing to negotiate with one another. Negotiation makes you vulnerable; it forces you to change what you desire- that thing deep inside of you telling you that something should be done in a certain way. Problems are solved most effectively when all sides are taken into account. The ‘almost-final’ quality I chose was passion. Passion is that emotion inside you that drives you to action. We all know that a forest cannot be cut down unless you actually get up and cut it. Objectives cannot be completed with just thoughts; there must be something within you that moves you to action into your desires. This passion can be both good and bad; it just depends on where it is directed.
This leads into my final quality that not only transcends time and culture, but leadership as well. The final quality is that quality of (*insert drum-roll) love. What is love? I could write pages upon pages about this quality called love. Is it a quality, though? Maybe the quality should be defined as the ability and willingness to love, since love is an action and not an emotion or anything of the like. I think love is quite a general word and all of the qualities I’ve listed and many more could also be described as a sub-sect of what love is. People make mistakes; you must understand this in order to keep yourself from getting angry every day of your life. I’ve recently had someone whom I thought I understood tell lies to me. However much this angers me, I don’t know what to do with it. I don’t know how to handle the situation. He lied to me about everything, so what am I supposed to do? Am I to love him ‘like Christ would have done’? Are you kidding me?! Romans 13:8 says, “Owe nothing to anyone- except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.” Wow. What a powerful verse, and a verse I struggle with constantly. I’m slowly figuring out that nobody will get anywhere if everyone is mad at everybody all the time. But still- he lied to me; to my face! Not only did he lie to me, but he lied to me and my friends. How do I treat him now? I don’t want to talk to him. My mind tells me that he can go find a new set of friends, maybe friends that will understand him or even friends that he will open up to. My heart tells me to reach out to him and be that friend that nobody else will- to love him. John Maxwell states in his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, that you must touch a heart before you touch a hand. Maybe I can help him out. Maybe he doesn’t want the help, though. Of course, that shouldn’t stop me from trying to be who I am supposed to be. Why is it that who you are is sometimes not who you are supposed to be? If you’re finding this is the case, you need to sit down and reevaluate. And let it be known- it isn’t a fun thing.
Of course, after listing these five qualities, my entire view of leadership just changed. Leadership is not power. It isn’t position. It’s not achievement, influence, or anything of the like. Leadership is somewhat of a relationship. Leaders are nothing without their followers, and just the same, followers can be nothing without a leader. There must be a focus on each to understand leadership. I think it should be called something other than ‘leadership’, because it is a word that doesn’t seem to fit in the followers. I think that leadership must be defined as a relationship. There are aspects of leadership that both the leader and the follower must bring to the table; it’s a two way street. I can’t make a difference in the world and have influence if nobody will follow me. As I stated above, loving them will help this. People do not understand love; it is something that isn’t supposed to make sense in your mind. Love touches people’s hearts, and with that, leading becomes much easier. This is probably why Jesus was the leader of all leaders; He understood the way things were supposed to be. That isn’t saying that He didn’t struggle with the right thing to do. If He didn’t struggle, then was he truly and fully human? He touched people’s hearts by doing the things that were unexpected of logic and from there had the biggest leading any single person has ever had.
Being a Christian, relationships are seen differently by me than the world sees them. My faith in Christ plays an extremely important part in my life. Faith makes my quality of understanding obsolete. Maybe they are used in different contexts, maybe not. Why is faith and understanding important to leadership? They don’t seem to go hand in hand. Maybe faith can be used in the risky side of leadership. But if you fully understand something, what is the point of faith? Is it faith in God, but understanding in people? I’m pretty sure God created people, and they will never be fully understood; there must be some sort of faith to it.
At the Catalyst Conference 2010, Bishop T.D. Jakes told me something that has stuck with me since. “You can’t play it safe and be a leader.” I’m working on doing that. I have the faith to take educated guesses (risks) and help guide people for a common goal; even if they don’t all agree entirely. Sometimes it’s risky just being in the position of the leader. Let’s take George Bush as an example: he had some things happen in his presidency that weren’t his fault- to blame him for everything is a fool’s idea. As a follower, the trust in the leader is immense, but you must also be willing to accept that people are not perfect. We aren’t robots. We move sometimes by emotion and other times by thought. Often times these get confused and we have miscommunications and mess up. It’s hard to enough understand yourself and how these two separate entities work; but it makes it a trillion times harder when you try and understand the people in your community. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes love. Love is not safe. Showing love is not comfortable, but there is no way to fully understand how to be loved if you cannot first learn how to love yourself.
How do we accept failure like that, though? Is it an acceptance of failure? Tolerance of failure will soon work its way into the system, it seems. Can you love without acceptance of failure? It’s almost like leadership and love are on opposite ends of the spectrum on this issue. On one side, you love people and accept fault. On the other side, you lead to become effective and impactful. How can you impact in a positive way if you are a failure, or accept those who are? There are two arguments going on in this paper, it seems. One, faith and understanding, and the other, leadership and failure, seem to just rip apart some of the common conceptions of today. Why is being a leader so complicated? Why is loving so complicated? Are we called to be both? Wasn’t Jesus both? Maybe love is not necessarily the acceptance of failure, but the fact that failure is inevitable (for we are a fallen people); so how does one avoid it best?
I feel as if saying the way to right leadership is love seems extremely cliché. It just sounds like the ‘Sunday school answer’ to a problem. I know that, in depth, love is not cliché. But how do I take this ‘Sunday school answer’ and turn it into something radical and unique? Maybe I should start living it out. How often does one see that? That is one of the hardest quests anyone could live for; maybe that’s why God gave us reason and purpose to live. It’s funny that love and live are only one letter apart; maybe they’re roots of the same word in Greek or Hebrew or Latin or some other old-language that my ancestors have spoken.
I wish I could type out my leadership paradigm in a nice little gift box, but as I said in the first paragraph, I’m not going to do that. My leadership paradigm will be entirely different a year from now than it is today. That’s how I work though; I don’t put a cap on my level of knowledge. Right now, I could list some things about my leadership style: I am strategic, I know how to communicate with people, I have a small level of understanding, I don’t have too much patience, I’m willing to negotiate, etc. That’s easy. Anyone can sit down and write about themselves at a certain point in time; it’s thinking about yourself in a way that will improve things such as your effectiveness, the image you have of yourself and image that others view you as, your power of influence, your ability and willingness to love, and consistency of all things listed here, plus many other things.
I’m not sure if I want to write a closing paragraph on this paper or not. It seems that if I stopped thinking about these things, or even made it sound such, then this paper would be entirely useless. The concepts which I’ve talked about in this essay have reached levels of thinking that I’m not entirely sure I like. I feel like this was a counseling session that gave me tons of thoughts but no answers. I’m willing to accept that, though, due to the fact that if I am persistent on trying to find answers, I will eventually get some; maybe not all, but some. Now I just need to find some people like Tom Middendorf to keep me accountable; I hear he’s pretty good at that. Until then, as REO Speedwagon sings, I’ve gotta roll with the changes and keep pushin’.
And when we think we lead, we are most led. ~Lord Byron
I’m not going to lie. I don’t know how to write this paper. It seems I have to reach down deep inside myself and pull out words- words that describe me in a way that I have never thought before. I’m writing this paper in dialogue format; a simple letter from me to you (whoever you may be). The grammar may not be the greatest. The form won’t be perfect. What I can tell you is this: the passion behind this paper will be among the most forceful I have ever written. This will not be a close-ended paper. I will not wrap a gift and hand it to you, even if it is nearing Christmas. Instead, I will pose questions; questions that may or may not be answered. I will throw a common conception and turn it around. Of course, none of this can be done without background information. “The past”, as Wendell Berry states it, “is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it.”
I’ve grown up in the same community my entire life. I’ve had the same group of friends and my family has been a functional family, as some would call it. There hasn’t been too much strife. There was one time when I was diagnosed with a tennis-ball sized brain tumor, but again, the same friends were there; the same family. I wonder what it would have been like if they had changed from time to time. As I see this same group of friends, though, I see multiple sets of personalities and dozens of different lifestyles. I’ve grown up in the same church since birth. Dr. Reed, the former pastor of my church and president of my university, dedicated me. He asked the entire congregation if they would help in raising me along with my two wonderful parents. They agreed. Most people my age, I would guess, have a mindset that the older generations are not relevant to their generation; I would stand on the entire opposite side of that statement. Without knowing and understanding those who have come before us, how can we define ourselves? We only know how to create fire because cavemen, thousands of years ago, took a risk and tried something new. My church has definitely been that caveman for me; being a part of something as large as my church is a wonderful feeling, whether it is through heartbreak or triumph. We’ve tried new things; they haven’t always worked out, but we care enough about each other to keep trying new things.
I cannot describe how much my parents mean to me. This sounds entirely too cliché, but my parents are some of my greatest role models. My mom has taught me what it means to take charge and hold of a situation. She has also taught me a little of what love means; most of that cannot be put into words. My dad has taught me that the right way isn’t always the way that seems most obvious. I think a lot of my ‘strategery’ comes from him; such as the chess games we used to play when I was a kid, the business ideas we would create as I got older, and simply tackling life’s obstacles together.
Tom Middendorf is yet another example of leadership that was, is, and hopefully will forever be in my life (and no, this is not a plug for extra credit in the paper… although if you wanted to, it wouldn’t be unreasonable). If there is any one person I have processed life with the most, it would be him without a doubt. Life isn’t always easy- everyone has taught me that, but Tom has taught me beyond that. He’s taken the time to clear up misunderstanding and the general confusion of life in itself. What is it, though, that makes him create such an impact on me? He has become engrossed in my generation, showing us that he actually cares for us. He understands that I’m not perfect and still has a willingness to learn about me.
Leadership is nothing but a word; the Y Generation (1984-2002) seems to think that, at least. We’ve taken the people that have been placed in positions of power and called them leaders; and part of me wants to agree. They are the people with the most influence. I don’t think Tom and I will ever agree on the fact that leadership is entirely dependent on influence. A paradigm is a model; a leader is someone who guides, directs, and influences outcomes. I think the question we must ask ourselves is this: what makes a true, right leader? The problem: the definition of right and wrong seem to be different for everyone. Of course, if truth is fact, we must hunt for truth to find out what is right and what is wrong. If someone could answer the question “What is truth?” for me, I would be forever grateful. Experiences and influences seem to shape this understanding of right and wrong for us, and I hate that. Do the rules of life really come down to a simple, yet perplexing, change in perception?
I’ve compiled a list of five qualities that I think a leader should have. It is immeasurably hard to define a leader in five qualities. The list could go on and on with them, many of which that fit perfectly with the culture. Of course, the five that I have chosen go beyond the culture, and could very well stand the test of time.
Leaders must be able to understand in order to lead effectively. This one was almost obvious to me; it is hard to lead people you do not understand. It is like me trying to tell my grandparents how to use a computer. Our thought processes and language are entirely different, and if we don’t understand how to communicate with one another, there is no point in even trying to teach them how to use what I have grown up with. I can change the font on a paper in less than five seconds, while they can change the font on a paper… well, I am not entirely sure that they can. It turns into a hodgepodge of meaningless words if I do not understand how to communicate and lead them.
How can you understand someone different from you if you don’t have the willingness to learn? It’s a guaranteed fact that people will be different from you- from culture to culture, generation to generation, and person to person it will always be different. If you don’t have the open-mindedness to accept the fact that someone is different from you, and you must learn about them to be able to direct them into where they need to go, then you will never be able to be an effective leader. I’m eating these words as I type them. Is it not possible for someone to simply set an example and for people to follow, regardless of an understanding of each other? Of course it’s possible, but it changes the entire definition of leadership. It takes the focus away from the leader and puts it on the followers. I would venture to say that understanding is not necessary for leadership, but it does add a certain level of knowledge and would enhance the effectiveness of it.
I don’t know if the next three qualities mean anything now that the focus is taken away from the leaders. This list of qualities has changed at least half-a-dozen times since the beginning. The third quality I picked was negotiation. Both a leader and their followers must be willing to negotiate with one another. Negotiation makes you vulnerable; it forces you to change what you desire- that thing deep inside of you telling you that something should be done in a certain way. Problems are solved most effectively when all sides are taken into account. The ‘almost-final’ quality I chose was passion. Passion is that emotion inside you that drives you to action. We all know that a forest cannot be cut down unless you actually get up and cut it. Objectives cannot be completed with just thoughts; there must be something within you that moves you to action into your desires. This passion can be both good and bad; it just depends on where it is directed.
This leads into my final quality that not only transcends time and culture, but leadership as well. The final quality is that quality of (*insert drum-roll) love. What is love? I could write pages upon pages about this quality called love. Is it a quality, though? Maybe the quality should be defined as the ability and willingness to love, since love is an action and not an emotion or anything of the like. I think love is quite a general word and all of the qualities I’ve listed and many more could also be described as a sub-sect of what love is. People make mistakes; you must understand this in order to keep yourself from getting angry every day of your life. I’ve recently had someone whom I thought I understood tell lies to me. However much this angers me, I don’t know what to do with it. I don’t know how to handle the situation. He lied to me about everything, so what am I supposed to do? Am I to love him ‘like Christ would have done’? Are you kidding me?! Romans 13:8 says, “Owe nothing to anyone- except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.” Wow. What a powerful verse, and a verse I struggle with constantly. I’m slowly figuring out that nobody will get anywhere if everyone is mad at everybody all the time. But still- he lied to me; to my face! Not only did he lie to me, but he lied to me and my friends. How do I treat him now? I don’t want to talk to him. My mind tells me that he can go find a new set of friends, maybe friends that will understand him or even friends that he will open up to. My heart tells me to reach out to him and be that friend that nobody else will- to love him. John Maxwell states in his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, that you must touch a heart before you touch a hand. Maybe I can help him out. Maybe he doesn’t want the help, though. Of course, that shouldn’t stop me from trying to be who I am supposed to be. Why is it that who you are is sometimes not who you are supposed to be? If you’re finding this is the case, you need to sit down and reevaluate. And let it be known- it isn’t a fun thing.
Of course, after listing these five qualities, my entire view of leadership just changed. Leadership is not power. It isn’t position. It’s not achievement, influence, or anything of the like. Leadership is somewhat of a relationship. Leaders are nothing without their followers, and just the same, followers can be nothing without a leader. There must be a focus on each to understand leadership. I think it should be called something other than ‘leadership’, because it is a word that doesn’t seem to fit in the followers. I think that leadership must be defined as a relationship. There are aspects of leadership that both the leader and the follower must bring to the table; it’s a two way street. I can’t make a difference in the world and have influence if nobody will follow me. As I stated above, loving them will help this. People do not understand love; it is something that isn’t supposed to make sense in your mind. Love touches people’s hearts, and with that, leading becomes much easier. This is probably why Jesus was the leader of all leaders; He understood the way things were supposed to be. That isn’t saying that He didn’t struggle with the right thing to do. If He didn’t struggle, then was he truly and fully human? He touched people’s hearts by doing the things that were unexpected of logic and from there had the biggest leading any single person has ever had.
Being a Christian, relationships are seen differently by me than the world sees them. My faith in Christ plays an extremely important part in my life. Faith makes my quality of understanding obsolete. Maybe they are used in different contexts, maybe not. Why is faith and understanding important to leadership? They don’t seem to go hand in hand. Maybe faith can be used in the risky side of leadership. But if you fully understand something, what is the point of faith? Is it faith in God, but understanding in people? I’m pretty sure God created people, and they will never be fully understood; there must be some sort of faith to it.
At the Catalyst Conference 2010, Bishop T.D. Jakes told me something that has stuck with me since. “You can’t play it safe and be a leader.” I’m working on doing that. I have the faith to take educated guesses (risks) and help guide people for a common goal; even if they don’t all agree entirely. Sometimes it’s risky just being in the position of the leader. Let’s take George Bush as an example: he had some things happen in his presidency that weren’t his fault- to blame him for everything is a fool’s idea. As a follower, the trust in the leader is immense, but you must also be willing to accept that people are not perfect. We aren’t robots. We move sometimes by emotion and other times by thought. Often times these get confused and we have miscommunications and mess up. It’s hard to enough understand yourself and how these two separate entities work; but it makes it a trillion times harder when you try and understand the people in your community. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes love. Love is not safe. Showing love is not comfortable, but there is no way to fully understand how to be loved if you cannot first learn how to love yourself.
How do we accept failure like that, though? Is it an acceptance of failure? Tolerance of failure will soon work its way into the system, it seems. Can you love without acceptance of failure? It’s almost like leadership and love are on opposite ends of the spectrum on this issue. On one side, you love people and accept fault. On the other side, you lead to become effective and impactful. How can you impact in a positive way if you are a failure, or accept those who are? There are two arguments going on in this paper, it seems. One, faith and understanding, and the other, leadership and failure, seem to just rip apart some of the common conceptions of today. Why is being a leader so complicated? Why is loving so complicated? Are we called to be both? Wasn’t Jesus both? Maybe love is not necessarily the acceptance of failure, but the fact that failure is inevitable (for we are a fallen people); so how does one avoid it best?
I feel as if saying the way to right leadership is love seems extremely cliché. It just sounds like the ‘Sunday school answer’ to a problem. I know that, in depth, love is not cliché. But how do I take this ‘Sunday school answer’ and turn it into something radical and unique? Maybe I should start living it out. How often does one see that? That is one of the hardest quests anyone could live for; maybe that’s why God gave us reason and purpose to live. It’s funny that love and live are only one letter apart; maybe they’re roots of the same word in Greek or Hebrew or Latin or some other old-language that my ancestors have spoken.
I wish I could type out my leadership paradigm in a nice little gift box, but as I said in the first paragraph, I’m not going to do that. My leadership paradigm will be entirely different a year from now than it is today. That’s how I work though; I don’t put a cap on my level of knowledge. Right now, I could list some things about my leadership style: I am strategic, I know how to communicate with people, I have a small level of understanding, I don’t have too much patience, I’m willing to negotiate, etc. That’s easy. Anyone can sit down and write about themselves at a certain point in time; it’s thinking about yourself in a way that will improve things such as your effectiveness, the image you have of yourself and image that others view you as, your power of influence, your ability and willingness to love, and consistency of all things listed here, plus many other things.
I’m not sure if I want to write a closing paragraph on this paper or not. It seems that if I stopped thinking about these things, or even made it sound such, then this paper would be entirely useless. The concepts which I’ve talked about in this essay have reached levels of thinking that I’m not entirely sure I like. I feel like this was a counseling session that gave me tons of thoughts but no answers. I’m willing to accept that, though, due to the fact that if I am persistent on trying to find answers, I will eventually get some; maybe not all, but some. Now I just need to find some people like Tom Middendorf to keep me accountable; I hear he’s pretty good at that. Until then, as REO Speedwagon sings, I’ve gotta roll with the changes and keep pushin’.
And when we think we lead, we are most led. ~Lord Byron
10.11.2010
"That Ain't Love"
So, in Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love", he does something totally cool that I'd like you to see as well.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Replace the words 'love' and 'it' with God.
Isn't that cool? :)
I love it!
Now replace those words with your name.
Don't you feel like a liar?
I did.
Isn't it sad that our (humanity's) whole view of love is so skewed that when we read a verse in the bible that embodies love, we don't match up with it? Doesn't God command us to?
Romans 13:8
8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.
I'm thinking I need a change in my life.
Or I need my life to change.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Replace the words 'love' and 'it' with God.
Isn't that cool? :)
I love it!
Now replace those words with your name.
Don't you feel like a liar?
I did.
Isn't it sad that our (humanity's) whole view of love is so skewed that when we read a verse in the bible that embodies love, we don't match up with it? Doesn't God command us to?
Romans 13:8
8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.
I'm thinking I need a change in my life.
Or I need my life to change.
9.12.2010
I'm Home, Dad
Man.. the thoughts tonight are going wild! It all started a few days ago when my professor told me a new perception he'd had when he read the story about the prodigal son. We've all heard the story; kid says he wants his inheritance. he takes it, he runs with it, he uses it, and he ends up in quite a precarious position. He ends up with nothing left. In fact, he's been feeding the pigs and finds the pig food to look good because he is so hungry. In that day and time, according to Leviticus and Deuteronomy, pigs were unclean animals. They couldn't be eaten (woo.. I'd miss the bacon!), nor could they be used for sacrifice. Jews wouldn't touch them (to protect themselves from defilement). For a Jew to stoop to feeding pigs created an extreme amount of humiliation! What was this kid to do, though? He had taken what had been freely given of him in his arrogance, and he had spent it blindly.
Let's back up a bit. This story is found in Luke 15. There are 2 other stories in that chapter that I'd like to highlight; the parable of the lost sheep, and the parable of the lost coin. In the parable of the lost sheep, a man has 100 sheep but one gets lost. He leaves the 99 others to go find that 1 sheep that has wandered off. Why? Maybe because he knows the other 99 are safer together than the 1 that is lost. Maybe because the 1 is worth looking for; it has value. Regardless, this is what the shepherd does; he goes out and finds that 1 sheep and returns to the 99 that have been safe together and he calls together his friends and rejoices with his friends that he has found his one lost sheep! In the same sense, the lady who lost her coin did the same thing; she was given 10 coins and she lost it. She swept the entire house and searched, carefully, until she found that one silver coin.
One lost sheep.
One silver coin.
One prodigal son.
It doesn't match up, does it? You've got these two stories about these people who lost something valuable; and then you've got this random story about a man who's son took part of his value away from him! What in the world?! Well the son finally decides to go home- he realizes that he can make a better living if he lives as a servant for his father. So while I was reading, a certain verse popped out at me (as I was reading chapter 15 for the 5th time today). Luke 15:20a, "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming."
Did you guys catch that? He returned home to his father... and while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming.
What?!
Sounds to me like his father was looking for him.
Wait?
Again.
This world doesn't make sense!
The father then proceeds to welcome this son that had left, taking his inheritance (only to spend it all), and ended up a hobo. Not only did he welcome him with open arms, but he had his servant bring the finest robe in the house to him, and even killed the fattest calf so that they could have a grand feast that this son, this son that left with the inheritance (only to spend it all), had finally returned home.
Home.
The older brother of this son who left home and took his inheritance (only to spend it all) is angry. Ya know, I'd be the exact same way. I stayed with my father and did what he asked and never took anything from him.. and yet this kid, my kid brother, is the center of a celebration.
What the crap?!
I'd be mad.
Just sayin'.
When the older brother asks his father why this his happening, his father simply says to him, "Look, my son, you have stayed by me and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. Your brother was dead and has come back to life. He was lost, but now he is found!"
The two responses are in contrast; the son, who is extremely angry about the situation- and the father, who is overjoyed at the events of the day! The father forgave because he was full of love.
Love.
The son refused to forgive because he was bitter; because he was angry. I don't blame him- I would have been too! But his resentment rendered him just as lost to the father's love as his younger brother had been.
Isn't that a wonderful feeling; that, just like in all three of these parables, Jesus is always looking for us? That, even when we do wrong, the love won't stop.
And it's not that it won't stop- but it won't decrease either.
The father had love, and the father forgave.
Don't let anything keep you from forgiving others. If you are refusing to forgive people, you are missing a wonderful opportunity to experience joy and share it.
Make your joy grow.
Forgive someone who has hurt you.
Love.
Let's back up a bit. This story is found in Luke 15. There are 2 other stories in that chapter that I'd like to highlight; the parable of the lost sheep, and the parable of the lost coin. In the parable of the lost sheep, a man has 100 sheep but one gets lost. He leaves the 99 others to go find that 1 sheep that has wandered off. Why? Maybe because he knows the other 99 are safer together than the 1 that is lost. Maybe because the 1 is worth looking for; it has value. Regardless, this is what the shepherd does; he goes out and finds that 1 sheep and returns to the 99 that have been safe together and he calls together his friends and rejoices with his friends that he has found his one lost sheep! In the same sense, the lady who lost her coin did the same thing; she was given 10 coins and she lost it. She swept the entire house and searched, carefully, until she found that one silver coin.
One lost sheep.
One silver coin.
It doesn't match up, does it? You've got these two stories about these people who lost something valuable; and then you've got this random story about a man who's son took part of his value away from him! What in the world?! Well the son finally decides to go home- he realizes that he can make a better living if he lives as a servant for his father. So while I was reading, a certain verse popped out at me (as I was reading chapter 15 for the 5th time today). Luke 15:20a, "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming."
Did you guys catch that? He returned home to his father... and while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming.
What?!
Sounds to me like his father was looking for him.
Wait?
Again.
This world doesn't make sense!
The father then proceeds to welcome this son that had left, taking his inheritance (only to spend it all), and ended up a hobo. Not only did he welcome him with open arms, but he had his servant bring the finest robe in the house to him, and even killed the fattest calf so that they could have a grand feast that this son, this son that left with the inheritance (only to spend it all), had finally returned home.
Home.
The older brother of this son who left home and took his inheritance (only to spend it all) is angry. Ya know, I'd be the exact same way. I stayed with my father and did what he asked and never took anything from him.. and yet this kid, my kid brother, is the center of a celebration.
What the crap?!
I'd be mad.
Just sayin'.
When the older brother asks his father why this his happening, his father simply says to him, "Look, my son, you have stayed by me and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. Your brother was dead and has come back to life. He was lost, but now he is found!"
The two responses are in contrast; the son, who is extremely angry about the situation- and the father, who is overjoyed at the events of the day! The father forgave because he was full of love.
Love.
The son refused to forgive because he was bitter; because he was angry. I don't blame him- I would have been too! But his resentment rendered him just as lost to the father's love as his younger brother had been.
Isn't that a wonderful feeling; that, just like in all three of these parables, Jesus is always looking for us? That, even when we do wrong, the love won't stop.
And it's not that it won't stop- but it won't decrease either.
The father had love, and the father forgave.
Don't let anything keep you from forgiving others. If you are refusing to forgive people, you are missing a wonderful opportunity to experience joy and share it.
Make your joy grow.
Forgive someone who has hurt you.
Love.
7.20.2010
A Quote by Victor Frankle
"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life - daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." ~Viktor E. Frankle
I love this quote. I showed it to a friend and she pointed out to me that it's also pretty awesome if you replace the word 'life' with the 'God'. Pretty fantastic. Thanks, Jamie:)
I love this quote. I showed it to a friend and she pointed out to me that it's also pretty awesome if you replace the word 'life' with the 'God'. Pretty fantastic. Thanks, Jamie:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)