Pride Goes Before the Fall

If I had to take a guess, I would say that one of the most consistent reasons for financial mismanagement in our lives , generally speaking,  is the simple sin of pride.

How many times have we started out thinking that we knew what we were doing, whether it was buying a house or shopping at the mall, and when all was said and done..... we ended up spending ( or borrowing ) more than we could afford?  

You see it everywhere.  In the grocery store, how many of us are too embarrassed to say that we hadn't planned on spending "that much" when we were in the checkout lane but ended up buying it all anyway?  Or how about when we hear about a deal that is too good to pass up and plunk down a credit card without bothering to check into it a little more? Better yet, how about the times we get suckered into buying something out of a catalogue that a colleague brought into the office to support their kid's school..... not because we need or want it, but rather because we don't want to say "no" when really that is what we are thinking.

Pride, in one way or another, tends to do us in, doesn't it?

Decisions, decisions

Personally, I have found that one of the best remedies to this problem comes in the form of prayer.  Not the falling on the ground beseeching the Almighty type of prayer, but simple honest prayer as it pertains to my decision making processes.

For example, if I am faced with a financial decision that goes beyond buying a stick of gum, opening myself up to a minute of prayer on my way into the store helps me to keep my heart in place. The same goes for those larger financial decisions like buying a car or considering adoption.

Basically, one of the easiest ways that we can begin changing our attitude about our finances is to make prayer a daily habit in our lives. Not just when we get ready to sit down to eat or before we go to bed, but in one of those moments when we need the time with God the most: When we need wisdom and guidance in making financial decisions.

Before going into the store.  Before opening that application for a new credit card. Before saying "yes" to an aggressive salesperson. 

Sound corny?

Not at all. By wisdom a house is built.  Where else could wisdom come from but from the Lord?

How about you? Can you think of a time when prayer made a difference in how you approached a financial decision?

        

Looking out our finances, or any other area of responsibility for that matter, in order to get a hold of it takes a certain measure of courage. Trying to manage it involves time, dedication, and sometimes a little "pain." It is easy to get discouraged if things aren't going the way we want them to or if the task seems too daunting.

So why should we do it then? What difference does it make if we put our energy into it and sometimes find the going rough versus just letting it go and saying, "the heck with it"?

The difference is accountability.  That accountability is basically two things:   On a human level, it is our way of showing ourselves as being capable and mature enough to handle those things which are in our care.  On the spiritual level, it is our responsibility to the divine to live up to what we are given as part of our spiritual journey. Those things are held in our charge and are put there to give us an opportunity to grow.

Called to Stewardship

Genesis 2:15 "Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden to cultivate it and keep it."

Stewardship is a God driven principle that has displayed itself from the very beginning of Creation.  There are no higher standards than God's, and whenever He made something He would declare it good.  He was thorough and purposeful about His work.  His designs were sequentially and organized.

Light... water.... land....plants.....living beings for the sea and land.... humans.
 
Each done in a specific order with a purpose in mind. No wasted effort.

And when this was complete God passed on this ideology to Adam. His job was to take care of that which the Lord had given him, and in doing so he, Adam, would benefit from it.

This has been the way of things since the beginning, and it will remain so until the end. We each have been called by God Himself to be responsible for those things with which we have been entrusted.

Made for Stewardship

Genesis 4:2 "...and Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground."

Have you ever met someone that just seemed to be a natural at something?  Maybe it was playing sports or being a musician. Or perhaps it was someone who throughout their life seemed to be drawn to areas of science or history and is now a professor or author, and a part of you admires that.

In looking at those areas that we are accountable, for better or worse, we each have been made with a purpose. Our gifts, talents, abilities, and the material things under our influence are ours solely by God's intentional provision and are there for our benefit. Cultivating those areas of our lives means recognizing that traits and living up to them.

We are both designed with these traits and for many, as time goes by, we mature and develop or discover new ones. But they are in each of us and as we use them and foster their growth we often find contentment because we are doing what we were made to do. 

It is when we go against this or neglect them for some reason that we being to fail. We lose our way. We become discontent and disheartened. We lose sight of who and what we once dreamed of being. 

Our stewardship is demonstrated by how we behave in those areas of responsibility: Our work, relationships, finances, health, and others areas of life where we have the opportunities.  We have the option to nurture, protect, and encourage growth or in failing to do so we neglect, under perform, and lose out on.

Regardless of our circumstances we all have opportunities to utilize the resources and natural strengths that are ours to better ourselves and others with what we do, who we are, and what we chose to be. In spite of of our perception, we each have these obligations.


Established by Stewardship

Genesis 39:2 " The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man....."

Each of us can likely thing of a time in which we have seen someone who has become successful at something they do. Be it a movie star, business professional, or a stay-at-home parent who guides the household well. Each successful in their own right, each held to a level of accountability. Each living that out and doing it well.

How did they do it? The chances are it was by doing those things that made sense and fit with who they are in their character and makeup. In other words, they employed those skills and talents that they had to their best interest, and the outcome was success.

For those of us who may struggle with areas of our lives that don't seem to "fall into place" quite so easily, don't be discouraged. It does not mean that you do not have these same opportunities or that you can't succeed at where you are at in life. And to be realistic in our view here does mean to realize that we may not always be "successful" by worldly standards, but that shouldn't inhibit our growth. Remember, "success" and "stewardship" are two different things.  Being a steward of things means doing well in those areas in which we are capable and responsible, while success is measured by the world's desire to imitate something that you do. The world sees success, but God sees stewardship. 

Many of us can think up an example of someone who was great at what they did but was not recognized for it. I am certain that we know someone who lived a life "in the shadow" of someone greater. But does that mean that they weren't a success? No. What it means is that they held themselves accountable for the things that they were to be taking care of, and because of that, they were successful regardless. They were good stewards.


It's Our Turn

In the end, though, we must consider that stewardship isn't about wealth or prosperity, but rather that it is about the attitude a person has in regards to what he or she has been given. Each of us has the capacity for stewardship, exercising that capacity is the first step to succeeding in the process.

In the end, those who truly succeed are the ones who have pursued, engaged, and delivered in these arenas with their utmost.

We have been called to it.

We have been made for it.
 
We are established by it.
 
Let us pursue it!

        

How may I serve you?

If you have ever been on a cruise, you have seen the value of a good ship's steward. They are the person in charge of making sure that your every need is taken care of quickly and with the best that the ship has to offer.

Some years back I went on a cruise to the Carribbean.  The ship was immense and had just about every amenity that could be thought of to keep me and the other passengers entertained.  Two movie theaters, an art gallery, casinos, and unlimited amounts of food and drink.

With fun like that, enjoying the cruise was easy, but as for the sleeping quarters..... well, that was another matter.

The cabin that I has been assigned was designed for someone who had no ambitions in life.  It provided just enough space to catch up on sleep and getting in a quick shower. The idea of spending much time there didn't appeal to me at all because it wasn't anything to do. The main purpose of that room was to give me a place to go and recuperate before getting back out and having more fun!

It was drab and unimportant.

At least, to me it was.

Regardless of my interest, though, every evening when I would return to the cabin it was obvious that someone cared more about it than I did. The bed was made, linens had been replaced, and even the lid was put back on the toothpaste.  Someone had seen to all of the little details.

In fact, daily they even went so far as to create origami characters out of the fresh towels.

There, laid out on the bed, were towels that had been expertly fashioned to resemble animals of all kinds. One day a swan, the next a dog, and once there was a monkey left hanging from the ceiling. Each done with precision and set out with care, all for a passenger who would have barely noticed otherwise.

From something that could be considered mundane and generally uninteresting, it added a sense of personality and care even in that small surrounding.
 
So who did all of this? Who made sure that all of these details were taken care of and well coordinated?

The steward.

All said and done, a good ship's steward covers a lot of ground in a quick, efficient manner, all for the benefit of the passenger.  They take care of the guests, as well as any items brought on board, by making sure that they are kept safe and taken care of to the best of their ability.


Being a Steward


When it comes to our financial lives, how many of us could say that we take as good of care? Every day each of us has decisions to make about the things that we do, the jobs we work at, the places we live. For all of these things, in once way or another, we are responsible to make sure that things are working the way that they are supposed to.

No, it doesn't mean that we always do it well, and it certainly doesn't mean that in every area of our life that we are the "last link"  in the chain of responsibility. In those areas, though, where we do have an influence, we are given a chance to develop God-pleasing character qualities. Chief among these, at least when it comes to our finances, is this concept called "stewardship."

By definition, stewardship is someone who is in charge of another's property or affairs. When it comes to our money, we each have an accountability to make sure that it is take care of properly.

A quick look at four main components of stewardship can give us a little insight and direction on how we can better handle our financial matters. Although not a complete list, at its core, stewardship can be defined by these traits:

• Consistency
• Intention
• Discernment
• Diligence

Consistency

Job 1:5 "...Job would rise up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings....thus Job did with consistency."

Creating a pattern, or a habit if you will, of managing our finances can be daunting but well worth it. Whether you are creating financial plans, setting up a budget and sticking with it, or even bargain shopping to help make ends meet.  All of these and more require commitment and regular attention. This consistency is what helps our financial goals become financial achievements.


Intention

1 Chronicles 29:17 "I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent."

Rather than just letting things go in whatever direction life seems to take us financially, a good steward participates in managing intentionally  that which we have been given.  Only by focusing our attention on what we have can we begin to take care of it. Stewardship begins, then, with recognizing what it is that we have. What it is that we have been given charge of, and looking frequently at how to best protect, preserve, and develop our knowledge and resources.


Discernment

Genesis 41:39 "...there is no one so discerning and wise as you ...."

One of the hardest skills to develop, discernment required learning and wise counsel.  It becomes too easy for us to rely simply on ourselves to make decisions and unless we have the right skills it can become very apparent if we lack discernment in our financial management.  We can begin making bad decisions, expose ourselves to unnecessary risk, or fail to see opportunities for growth.  Discernment requires the ability to pick through things that can be confusing or misleading and then moving toward the right decision.

Diligence

Proverbs 12:27b "...the precious possession of a man is diligence...."
 
Good stewardship, like most anything in life worth achieving,  is about pressing onward toward a goal or a purpose.  In our finances, it is this purpose that helps us to make good decisions for ourselves.  Decisions that help us to protect, preserve, and persevere. This attitude guides us to work with what we have and to try to improve our current scenario within the best of our abilities to reach those goals.


Take the first step

Ultimately a good financial stewardship happens when all of these skills are being exercised simultaneously, and there is no time like the present. It isn't easy and it doesn't always feel successful, especially when times and occasions surface that make you feel our of sorts or uncertain.

Remember, though, that our responsibility is to try, to persevere, and to resist the temptations that come along to distract us from our goals. So look at where you are today with your finances and in those areas that you know need some shoring up, start putting together a plan.

And when you're done with that, why not start planning for your next vacation.

                                                   



Oragami anyone?

        

Ah, Pepto. Such sweet nectar.

If you live in any measure of stress or uncertainty, likely you've taken to sipping some of the pink stuff (Or maybe you have taken to swigging it down and gave up Dentyne for a six pack ofTums).

Surely it grows on you after a while?

Whatever the case, anything that rescues your stomach from instability, bad news, and general uncertainty is welcome.

Fear, worry, and anxiety can seem to never end and the question, " What went wrong?" gets more attention than it deserves.

Where does all this anxiety come from?  Is it really because we turn on the TV and hear about a mess on Wall Street or because we just found out that our house is no longer worth what we thought it was? Is it because our income isn't what we think it should be or that we just lost a great promotion?

Ultimately, we need to know if this is normal or can we have some measure of security? 

Where does it come from?

When it comes to money, anything that is not positive often brings about feelings of anxiety. Unfortunately, this same feeling is what can keep us from seeing the big picture. Without perspective, we enter into a realm of uncertainty and fear, and are more prone to making bad decisions for ourselves. As it progresses, we not only lose our objectivity, but often we give up hope.

In essence, our perception of what is taking place colors our view and affects the way in which we will respond. So when it comes to our finances, perspective is everything. With it, we can step away from what has gotten us worried, without it we lose sight of things and our judgment is easily swayed by negative emotions.

So then how do we deal with times of stress and the inevitable bad news?

What Is Real

According to the dictionary, anxiety is defined as: "A state of uneasiness and apprehension, generally about future uncertainties."

But the real question is, where does it come from? For most, the root is largely centered in pride. Anxiety arises when situations that we THOUGHT we understood start going "the wrong way" and we are left wondering about what to do next.
 
In the life of a believer, this is not how it should be. In fact, in  the book of 1st Peter chapter 5, we are actually given a prescription on how to counter anxiety. The answer is pretty simple:  Humility.

“Therefore, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5: 6-7)

For many, this verse is easily said but not easily done. It's hard to be humble!  It requires that we "let go" and "let God". Yet, for the reprieve from the stress, don't we owe it to ourselves to investigate this a little bit?

So the main questions to ask here are:

• Who needs to be humble?
• Why am I needing to do it?
• What do I get out of it?

And if we can answer these, we can get to the deeper ones:

• How do I humble myself before the Lord?
  
• What are areas of my life that need to be humbled?

So let's look at these 5 questions for a minute.  Likely, you already know the answer to the first three, but just in case you don't, let's quickly run through them.

Who?  Everyone. There is nothing in this verse anywhere that implies that only some need to be humble.

Why?  Because in doing so we recognize the sovereignty of the Lord, and as we do so, we gain back our perspective and begin to see hope.

What do I gain?  Everything. Lack of stress, greater trust in the Lord, and an added promise of "being exalted at the proper time." All just for being good enough to STOP WORRYING and TRUSTING GOD. ( Those are in caps in case you missed the point!)

As for the remaining two questions, in short, how do I do it? can be answered this way: by regularly and intentionally placing all of our cares before the Lord and acknowledging Him as such (the Lord). When we do this we are taking our desire to "fix it" and hand it over to God like a child would to a parent asking Him to "fix it." In His time. In His way.

The other question, though, where do I need humility? requires a little more thought. We have to genuinely look into what makes us feel anxious. By doing so, we can begin to see the areas of our lives where those things are holding power over us only because we haven’t truly trusted the Lord with them.

They can only make you anxious when you hold onto some sense of “self” in regard to their resolution. 

So, where are you anxious today?  Is it about “your money”? The stock market? Your job? Starting a business? Retirement? Buying a home? Take note of it and then do something about it.

Regularly.

Intentionally.

Prayerfully.

Place your anxiety in the "mighty hand of God" by reminding yourself that no matter how hard you try, you will never truly be in control of it all.  Then, and only then, will you begin to gain true perspective on your situation because your vision will no longer be clouded by anxiety and fear.

Take it from an ex-Pepto drinker...... swallowing pride leaves a whole lot less aftertaste!

Bottoms up !

        

Look out your window. Do you see it?  It's the sky, and it's about to fall right on top of you. 

At least, it would be if you believed the media.

People screaming in the streets....
    .... no food!
         ...... no fuel!
              ....... no water!
                   ...... no money!!! Aargh!

Regardless of the Time

In our own personal finances there are things that anyone can do, all of which make a major impact on how your life will play out. They are hard to do and scary for some, but can truly make a difference regardless of whether or not the proverbial sky is falling.  Any trip to a local library or bookstore will lay out for you reams of books that are all written to bring you to this sacred knowledge.  Are you ready?

• Don't spend more than you make
• Don't borrow money
• Save some of what you earn
• Invest wisely
  

So while three of these four will be subjects for a later date, let's look at the third one, because that is the one that has been given the least attention by the average American.

In the most recent information put out by the Department of Commerce, in the last 8 years, Americans are saving less and less each year.  As it stands right now, even considering this last quarter with an increase to almost 3%, is it any wonder that some of us are in a state of frustration or outright panic?

Without savings in the bank, what type of security do you have? 

My guess is, little to none, if you are an average American.




What can I do?

"For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him." (Ecclesiastes 8:6)

A well stocked savings account, sometimes known as an "emergency fund", can provide benefits that are both psychological and financial. In fact, when it comes right down to it, the psychological is probably the better of the two!

Regardless of when you start saving, "now" always qualifies as a good time. There are any number of ways to start, but if we first can determine that it is an important thing to do, it provides more focus, determination, and drive to see it happen.

Yes, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, so to help erase that feeling, we have to get a handle on where we are at financially. That involves looking at our present circumstances and establishing an awareness of our current income and expenses, and with that, we can create our goals.

Put some thought into it

The simplest way to begin is by setting realistic and honest goals. These should be based not so much on what we think but more on what we know about our present circumstances. Ultimately you can put away into savings as much or as little as you would like, but conventional wisdom says that it should be enough to cover your day to day living expense for the next six to twelve months.

The typical expenses that you will want to account for are those that will keep you sheltered, fed, and healthy. For most of us those costs can be readily determined by looking over our fixed and variable expenses.

Ask yourself general questions like these:

• What is my monthly rent / mortgage ?
• What is my average monthly grocery bill?
• What is my average bill for all of my utilities?
• Do I have any additional expenses like insurance premiums or credit card payments ?

Personally, I like to use a spreadsheet program to categorize things, but just writing them on a slip of paper will help you get a quick bird's eye view of what an average month's living expenses looks like. 

For example, write down ( or research it if you don't already know ) your monthly fixed expenses like rent, mortgage, car loans, and the like.  Anything that you have a monthly obligation to pay but the number doesn't fluctuate at all.

Second, determine your "life" expenses.  These are the things that you have to pay for in order to live ( or at least life comfortably enough ), such as groceries, utilities, and fuel.  Things that you pay that are not the same necessarily month in and month out, but that you have to spend money on.

Third, determine what would be an average of your payments for things like credit card balances due.  Assume that you will be paying the minimum plus an additional 10-15%. 

Add these up as representing one month's total living expenses and then multiply this number by 3, 6, and 12.

These should be your goals for the amount of money that you need to set aside in a safe place where the money won't be touched or spent except in an emergency. Anything beyond that is up to you, but likely unnecessary.

The things that you don't want to take in as expenses are those things that fall into "luxury" such as snack runs to Panera, weekly outings for Chinese food, or other non-"life" expenses.  Sure, you could make an allowance for these in your emergency fund if you really think that you can't give them up. But remember, the point of an emergency fund is saving for a time where you might be unemployed or without income for a stretch of time.  This money is only to be used for those purposes, and buying a six dollar bowl of soup doesn't really qualify.

After you have that figured out, the goal becomes putting a plan in place for funding your account and then sticking to it.

We will look at that in my next entry, but until then...... get out those pencils !

        

Every once in a while I am given a reminder of what my life is really about.  It’s not about money, it’s not about fame or prestige or even success at work. It’s not even about accomplishing all of the things that I wan to do in life. 

It is about saving my time so that I can share it with others in ways that are important to them.

My Picasso.

My son drew me a picture the other day.  It’s not much to look at, but to me it holds a special meaning. You see, by watching me, he learned how to draw one of his most favorite things in the whole wide world; a construction crane.

Now I don’t recall exactly when it was that I drew it for him the first time as I tend to doodle a lot.  But I know that he watched me show him the basics: tires, cabin, crane mechanism ( likely there is a real name for this but my knowledge of construction comes from what I see when I am stuck in traffic behind street pavers or dodging orange cones on my way to the mall ! ).  From there he learned about steam rollers and all of the other fun things that he recognizes from watching Bob the Builder.

And he learned that he was important.

Just as he was learning how to draw a mixing truck, he was also learning about his value and worth in the world, as part of our family, and before God. Just a little of my time shapes who he is daily growing to become.

Memories. Love. These are the irreplaceable things of life. And it is by these things that our children are profoundly influenced.

What are you living for?
 

“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4)
 

There are any number of sermons that highlight how to be of an influence to the next generation. How we, as parents and family members, can give them courage to face a world that keeps getting darker and more unbalanced.  What are some ways that we call all help them grow?
 

• Praise them when they do something well. Be lovingly honest with them when they don’t
• Respect them for the talents and abilities that they have (not what you want them to have!)
• Listening and understanding them (even when they’re wrong )
• Teaching them discernment and encouraging them to make good decisions for themselves, but giving them grace to fail
• Not shaming them when they make mistakes
• Giving them love unconditionally
• Spend time with them doing things that they enjoy. Give them opportunities to spend time with you doing the things that you enjoy
• Teach them balance. Tell them (and yourself) that they are more important that the TV, a book, a phone call, or a job
• Build boundaries for ourselves and them for meeting responsibilities without becoming overscheduled and overcommitted in our lifestyle

 
Understand your time.

 
Most of us probably have “too much” to do on the average day. I know I do. So reminders like my son’s picture are good for me to remember my real goals in life. What about you? What memories or moments help bring you back into focus?
 
For me, they decorate my refrigerator.

At some point, the days of children will all move on into the land of memories, so hold on to them while you can. Build into them what you know. Honor them with what you are.

Even if you start with watching Bob the Builder.

        

In a recent article from Kiplinger's magazine entitled "What 1000 Dollars Can Do", the sages at Kiplinger's pointed their readers to no less than 37 ways to spend their hard earned $1000 (that presumably is just lying around waiting for someone to find something to do with it) on self-indulgent purchases such as a high-def camcorder, a prepaid ticket to New York, an expensive bottle of wine, or even 1  mini vacation at a golf course. Wow. Wish I had that extra grand just hanging around expecting me spend it.

To be fair, there were also some suggestions that were more conservative, such as placing the money into a 529 plan ( college-savings ) or making a contribution to an IRA, but coupling those suggestions with suggestions for high-risk stocks doesn't really do much as far as giving sound advice is concerned. There is a reason those stocks are selling for less than $4.... and readers of magazines like these are looking for advice that teaches money management skills and gambling on speculative stocks surely doesn't qualify.

Out of all of the suggestions that appear, only one is truly altruistic and demonstrates what someone who "happens to have" a thousand dollars with no specific earmark attached could do, and that is to give it away to a charitable organization like Mercy Corps.

What about your $1000?

Now, I am not necessarily saying that any extra money that you have should be given away to this charity over another, nor am I suggesting that it should even be given away.  Rather, what I am concerned about is the casual way in which "financial advice" is pushed out without understanding the reality that most of us deal with regularly.

Debt, lack of savings, unemployment, and the list could go on.  Surely these could have garnered more attention.

But perhaps it isn't the article itself that is as disturbing as what the title conveys. What could a thousand dollars do for you? Would your first impulse be to take money and stock up your wine cellar ( which, assuming you have one, is an expense unto itself ), or would you think of things more in line with paying off bills or saving for your kid's college expenses?

What it really comes down to is this: How do you see money and what it the point of it?

"But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." (1 Timothy 6:9)

To be sure, for the common middle-class reader of Kiplinger's or any other of the major financial magazines, accountability to personal finances is something that requires time, resources, and education. And I'm not sure that buying a mountain bike (even if it is to ride to work) truly qualifies as wisdom in finances.

        

Recognizing The Directions God Has Given Us

It doesn't take much to get me to lose sight of who I am sometimes because I spend so much of my time “living.”  In other words, because I go through much of my day focused on “the next thing” it becomes easy to not reflect on my relationship with Christ. But without this focus in life, a Christian can begin to make bad decisions both big and small because "living" only really happens when we know where we stand.

Without a good sense of direction and purpose.... well, life just becomes harder.

Who says men can't follow directions ??

I once had to assemble a rather large piece of furniture that I had ordered from a store the week before. When the box arrived, I picked it up from the warehouse, brought it home and tore into it.  After struggling with the box for a couple of minutes ( who invented those giant staples anyway ?), I pulled out the directions and very carefully laid out each piece of wood, matching them by size and shape.

Finally, with my disassembled furniture laid out in as orderly a fashion as I could manage, I gathered some tools and sat down in the middle of the pile with the freshly unfolded directions.

Problem? They were in French.

I don't read French.

I had a pile of wood, bolts, and plastic widgets..... and a set of French directions.

Suffice to say, French wasn't quite the language that I was looking to use right about that time.

The remedy? The pictures in the directions.

By looking thoroughly at each one, I was able to match up pieces with the sketches in each stage of the process. Two and a half hours later I had my newly assembled furniture completed and ready to be used.

Had the directions been in English ( can you expect that in today's PC world??? ) I would have finished in half the time ( and not been left wondering if the extra bolts left over were truly extras of not ! ). So while the directions, or the pictures at least, were faily detailed, the ability to understand what the actual steps involved would have been far better.

Thankfully, our directions aren't in French!

The Apostle Peter, in his first letter to the believers in Rome, provides a series of instructions designed to help them understand how to behave in all situations regardless of circumstance.

             (2:1) “Put aside all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander”

                        “...long for the unadulterated spiritual milk of the Word of God”

             (2:11) “Abstain from fleshly lusts…”

             (2:12) “Keep your behavior excellent among non-believers….”

These "simple" commands were given to both the Christians of that time, as well as those of today, to help give directions in our spiritual walk.

Pourquoi ? ( That's "why" for all you non-French speakers )

I think that there are a couple of different reasons, but one of them is what Peter said in verse 12: “…so that in the thing in which they ( non-believers) slander you for doing it, may they do so for your good deeds, as they observe them, so that they will glorify God in the day of judgment.”

Notice how what Peter is saying is that what we do plays out as part of God’s perfect judgment.  Isn’t that crazy?  God wants me to do the right thing, not only for me, but for those who don’t believe in regards to the judgment of their eternal souls !

When we follow the directions we are given, much like the furniture I was building, it's not just for us but for others as well. Our following of these instructions carries as much weight with us as it does with others.

By following the directions, we help others to see how being an "aliens and stranger" of this world brings glory to God, even if we don't fully understand it.

So God saved us “…so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness….” (1 Peter 2:9). We are here not to serve ourselves but rather to serve others.

Interesting how having the directions can make all the difference.

        

".... the Lord, the God of heaven..... has appointed me to build Him a house....."  Ezra 1:2

So about 6 months ago or so, my wife and I inherited a GPS from a family member. At the time I just about drooled over it and couldn't wait to get that fabulous little piece of technology suctioned to my window.  Finally, I had the ability to go wherever I wanted to, whether I knew how to get there or not! Amazing!!

It didn't take long to figure out though, that whenever the GPS is on (we nicknamed her Ginny) that one of three things usually happens:

1. I stop paying attention to where I am going and just follow blindly what the little voice is telling me to do
2. I disagree with what I are being told, but follow what it is telling me anyway....even when I KNOW the directions that will get me there faster
3. I follow the directions and wonder, "How did I ever get around without this thing!"
   

One of my favorite things, though, is when the GPS gives me the wrong directions. I get torn between number 1 and 2 and usually end up hearing (in a snobby British accent of course), "You have arrived at your destination".... and there's nothing there.

The map was wrong. Ginny was wrong! How can this be?!?!

Truly, no matter how good technology gets, there are always ways to improve it.


Is there a GPS for my Christian walk?

    


So does this happen with God? Does He ever put direction in your life, and if He does, how do you know? What happens if you follow it?

I was reading Ezra the other day when I got about halfway through the first two verses and did a double take. Cyrus, the king of Persia, publicly declared that God had appointed him to build a temple. What? How was this possible? Cyrus wasn't a Jew but yet he seemed to have this revelation from the Lord and showed a committed desire to fulfill it.  A rare combination.

I wonder how this direction came about.  Did he have a dream? Was it a vision?  It must have been something dramatic and specific. Being a king you don't really take orders, you know? But in that simple proclamation, Cyrus

• accepted it as truth
• understood the source
• included God as the author of the command
• sent out a summons to do work that likely interrupted whatever else was going on.

What I found interesting is that right after this proclamation Cyrus starts the process of rebuilding the temple of Jerusalem. And it is here that I think we begin to get an understanding of a template for getting a vision from God for our lives.

In short, Cyrus details the who, how, and where of the construction process. It will be by the Jews, placed in Jerusalem, and funded by the people. Even more than that, Cyrus gave back the money and goods that had been taken from the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar.

In fact, when it came to the funding of the project, Cyrus explains that it is up to (1:3) "Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold....." and he requests a (1:4) "... freewill offering for the house of God...." to bring together enough funds to support this huge undertaking. (Sounds kind of like a church building fund, huh?)

And what happens?  The people respond.  Ezra records that it is credited to (1:5) "...those whose spirit God has stirred...." and a mass of thousands of people (the list appears in chapter 2) feel lead by God to respond both in going and in supporting those who go.

So even though Cyrus, as king, didn't lift a finger physically to help rebuild, he assembled a team, so to speak, of people who would naturally want to see the end result accomplished, and gave them the tools to complete the project.

What does this mean to me?

Certainly there are a great many lessons that could come out of this, but I picked 5 things that made me see some truth about how God works:

•  A successful vision is one that comes from God

• You must respond to the vision
  

• You don't have to go it alone.

• The vision took time to be fulfilled.

• The vision was laid out in steps:   Identify it, process it, get help, and be willing to make my own personal sacrifice (1:7) out of what I already have.

In the end, I may never rebuild a temple (although I can make a mean log cabin out of Lincoln Logs), but when the Lord provides a vision, we have to be ready to respond with faith, trust, and commitment.

What about you, are you ready to follow a vision that God has for your life?

        

" To those who reside as aliens.... who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood.  May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure."  1 Peter 1:1-2

In the cult movie classic, Men in Black, one of the main characters is Agent K. His job was to hunt down rogue aliens and either bring them back into the program (yes, the aliens were in a "program". Any wonder it was considered a "cult" classic?) or obliterate them.

Overcoming them was not always easy, but in the end Agent K inevitably came out on top, even if it meant being eaten by a giant roach ( If you have to ask, don't. Just go watch the movie !). Sometimes, though, he would have to perform some type of cleanup, but not the kind that happens with a dust buster.

No, his "cleanup" usually involved using a special tool that he carried around with him in his pocket that he could use to erase the memories of anyone who looked at it.  Generally, this would be anyone who saw something that they weren't supposed to (really, would you want to remember a six armed creature from outer space that just ate your mother-in-law??? Well, for some, I guess that depends on the mother-in-law....), or just keeping his identity a secret.

In one scene, after an alien confrontation, Agent Kay says to an innocent bystander "All right, Beatrice, there was no alien. The flash of light you saw in the sky was not a UFO. Swamp gas from a weather balloon was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus." Then with one flash of his special tool, Agent K erases the memory of what Beatrice saw and implants a new one into her mind.

Remember, there are no such thing as aliens.

Unless, of course, you are the great disciple Peter.

Peter took a different approach to aliens; one that embraced the aliens rather than vaporizing them. But Peter wasn't talking about 6 armed mother-in-law gulping freakshows from Mars. No, instead, Peter was talking with other followers of Jesus Christ who were scattered about the Roman Empire.

Peter knew them and identified with them. In fact,  he was one of them.

You see, in Peter's mind, knowing who we are, is the bedrock of being able to make good life choices.  Lacking a confidence in ourselves, or at least not understanding who we are and what we can be, can make all the difference in where we are at in life.

When we know who we are, we aren't held down by doubts, fears, or uncertainties.

We are insulated against what others think or feel about us.

We can be bold.

It was in this knowledge that Peter found the words used to open up his first letter to the Christians there who were confused, discouraged, and suffering.

"My fellow aliens...." he says to them.

Why? Because they were believers in Jesus Christ's message of salvation and were no longer "of the world" but rather had became "aliens" within it.

Not necessarily a new concept, I know, but would you ever consider using this term on yourself?  As a Christian, do you see this as you?

I know that I never really saw that as me. In fact, if I could be so bold, I have sometimes even thought of non-believers as aliens (freaks even!) when I look at the lifestyles that some take on for themselves. Yet this letter was written to me and you today just as much as it was to the believers in Rome 2000 years ago.  Sure much of his letter was intended to discuss specific situations going on at the time, but there can be no denying that Peter identified with his audience.

Both were separated from the world because of their faith.

They were called out of the world.

Aliens.

And as a believer, even 2000 years later, so are you.

So what does it mean to be an alien?  Peter lays it down for us in chapter 1, starting with verse 1 going on through verse 5.  You are.....

"...chosen according to the foreknowledge of God..."

"...chosen...by the sanctifying work of the Spirit..."

"....born again... by the great mercy of God the Father..."

"...born again into a living hope...."

"...born again... through the resurrection of Jesus Christ ..."

"...sprinkled by His (Jesus') blood ...."

"...chosen.... to obey Jesus Christ...."

"...protected by the power of God....for a salvation that is already ready to be revealed..."

"...an obtainer of an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, will not fade away, and reserved in heaven for    you.."

What's not to love about being an alien???

So unless you start getting followed by a strange man in black, lay hold of your claim to being "not of this world".  Because when you do, you will start to see the world in a whole new light . And I don't mean light coming from swamp gas from a weather balloon trapped in a thermal pocket. 

Even if your name is Beatrice.