Proverbs 3 Do Good

Proverbs 3:27
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. NIV

Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person. The Message.

This verse has really convicted me lately. Do not without good from those who deserve it. I’ve had to evaluate first whether or not I was guilty of withholding good…surely not you or me. Right?

When I started to think about the good I might be withholding I let myself off the hook, obviously the people around me don’t “deserve” the good I’m withholding. Look back at the verse, it says, “from those who deserve it”. So clearly the mandate of doing good isn’t to do good to everyone. Every find yourself thinking along these lines…”of course I could help you out with what you need, but I’m not quite sure you’ll learn the lesson if I bail you out”? I have found myself thinking that way before.

Thankfully, God doesn’t think along those lines. He gave me the good I didn’t deserve way before I learned any lessons or proved my ability to grow in deserving it.

Here is what I’ve trying to understand and implement-
Good is so complex.
It is food to the hungry,
it is a hug to the depressed,
it is help to the busy,
it is babysitting to the single mom,
it is encouragement to my friends,
it is time to my dad,
it is playing catch to my son,
it is reading books with one daughter and wrestling with the other one,
it is acknowledgment and time with my wife.

You see the good I could do, is different with the different people I find in my life. It is complex, but it isn’t hard to do. To do good isn’t going to solve everyone else’s problems. That is what most pastors and Christians try to do for each other. We try to fix everything. How about this? Let’s quit trying to fix everything and each other. Instead let’s do the next good thing- it is in our power to act.

What is a good you could do today for someone? Share the story if you want.

Sabbatical Part 1

At the church I serve at there is a policy in place that a Pastor on staff for 7 years must take an 8 week sabbatical. Today my sabbatical ended. I wanted to share a few experiences and funny stories from my time away now that its over.

I started my sabbatical on May 15, by taking my wife, Kristi, to San Francisco for 5 days. It was a great trip to get away. We stayed at a boutique hotel across the street from Fisherman's Warf. We did all the tourist type stuff you hear about in San Fran. We went to Alcatraz (in the rain no less), we rode bikes over the Golden Gate Bridge. We rode cable cars, we ate at local restaurants, we found an Irish pub and tried their "world famous" Irish coffee. It was an awesome way to begin a season of rest and renewal.

After all these years of marriage and ministry it was incredible to spend time with my wife and realize we both still enjoy each other's company. If you said I could go to a new city and explore it for a few days, I wouldn't pick anyone else on this planet to accompany me. I'm pretty sure, she'd still pick me as well. I will never forget my first trip to San Francisco and the incredible woman who made the trip wonderful and adventurous.

The trip itself really didn't feel like anything other than a cool vacation. What was really bizarre was coming home from a trip like that and not going back to work. I didn't even check my work email....weird. I began to think about work a couple of times that first week home and realized that the church was pretty successful before I showed up and would probably continue on after I leave, it could manage without my incredible gift and contribution for a few weeks.

I never found myself longing to be back at the office. Don't get me wrong I love my job, and I really love the people I'm surrounded by each and every day at CCV. They are a great church I worship with each and every day. I had a few plans for work related projects during my sabbatical. Pretty quickly I realized that if someone wants to do work projects they shouldn't take a sabbatical when their wife is off work and their 3 kids are out of school. So I found myself putting the work projects on the back burner.

One funny story from our San Francisco trip: Our first night in town we wanted something local to eat, but everything was packed. We finally found ourselves at the Boudin Sourdough Bread Factory. They have a sweet restaurant upstairs- so we get our table buzzer from the hostess and begin our wait for a table to open up. A fine-looking gentleman and his male companion (if you know what I mean) come walking up the stairs holding hands {Quick aside- it didn't bother me at all that these two "friends" chose to interlock their fingers while pursuing dinner that night, I was prepared for the "sights" of San Francisco and promised myself I wouldn't stare too long if anything weird starting happening} …back to the story- I see these walk up and I look away to practice my promise of not staring...when I realize one of the guys is staring at me. I look over and my friend is looking right at me. At that moment I do what any other guy would do if a guy were looking at him (outside of San Francisco) I give him the "hey what's up dude?" head nod.
Well lets just say in San Francisco the "hey what's up dude" head nod, is a secret code for, "why don't you look me over like a piece of meat 3 or 4 times.

I have to be honest I didn't really expect to be checked out in such an obvious manner. I'm used to people checking me out being a bit more subtle. Kristi thought is was the funniest thing she had ever seen. Especially the way my face turned red, and I had no idea what to do. She said I looked like a big cuddly teddy-bear, to that little bitty skinny fella.

More sabbatical learning and experiences to follow.

Proverbs 2 The Path

Two verses stick out to me from Proverbs 2-
:9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair--every good path.
:20 Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.


These verses both talk about "The Path". I love the journey, adventure, and path metaphors for life. As a man paths and adventures are much more appealing than relationship language. I'm glad Solomon seems to agree with me here, but I digress.

If life is a journey then the path makes all the difference.

Have you ever been on a journey a hike, or a drive on a bad path? If you've ever driven through Oklahoma, you have. The path makes a real difference.

Much like a road trip, you and I get to chose our path in life. Living properly makes life so much easier and the path is often enjoyable.

This is the benefit of Wisdom. How do we get this Wisdom? Good question- look at verses 1-4 of chapter 2.

Put the anwer in your own words- how do we get Wisdom?
Also, what does it mean to you to "live properly", describe...

At Ease

Proverbs 1:33 says, "whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm".



The phrase "at ease" is the one that grabs my attention every time. What does it mean to live at ease? What would a life at ease look like? How would my life be different if it were at ease? What would yours look like?



Ease has a dictionary definition, just to review here it is:

freedom from concern, anxiety, solicitude, a quiet state of mind

I know many people who aren't at ease myself included. Why is it that some people live in safety, are at ease and have relatively little fear of harm. What's the difference between those people and the rest of us.





I know that safety, ease and harm are sometimes out of one's control. Life brings about situations and harm beyond our control. I'm not going to speak on those subjects.



Most days ease alludes me. I feel pressure, stress, and depression more often than I want to ever admit. I find myself worried and wondering about the "what ifs" of life. I am concerned, I am anxious, I don't have a quiet state of mind. Most days, I don't even know what solicitude means.



So what's the answer? Proverbs says the answer is listening to the wisdom of God.

Ok that sounds simple, but what does that even mean or look like? Surely I can't just put the Bible on my Ipod, listen to the wisdom of God and all my problems go away? Surely not.



I do think that living at ease starts with listening and understanding the ways of God. There is no other source for understanding the ways of God than the Bible. Here is the big jump that we often don't make. Living out the Bible. Or more directly, living out the wisdom of God found in the Bible. For many of us the question isn't how much we know about the Bible, its a question of how much of the Bible am I living out. I'm not saying truth or wisdom is only found in the Bible, of course not, but how often though do we turn somewhere else first?



Here's what I mean- when the everyday situations of life come up. Kids are acting up, spouse isn't doing what I want her to do, boss isn't giving you the recognition you deserve...you get the picture. Where do you and I turn for answers? More often than not I think we turn to "Christian" sources if we are a believer and to the latest self-help guide/guru if the Christian stuff doesn't work. How often are we turning to Scripture to address the every day issues of life?

There is nothing wrong with the latest parenting or marriage book at your local bookstore. There is nothing wrong with your friends' advice. There is nothing wrong with what Glen Beck or Dr. Phil say. But I want to challenge you to turn to Scripture and the Wisdom of God as your first response to your next crisis. Compare your "at ease" level to your last crisis.

Don't know where to start- try Proverbs.

What are some Scripture that have helped you in the past? Post them in a response!

Newest book on self-help

I've read a great book recently that is going to change the world.
I went through the self-help section of my local book store and couldn't find it.
I went to Amazon and typed in leadership and it didn't show up there either.
You may have a hard time finding it yourself, so your welcome for sharing about it here.

As I've renewed my own interest in closing the gaps that exist between who I am and who I want to be, I think I've stumbled across a book which will help me in this journey.

The next few weeks, as I take up this blogging thing again, I'm going to focus my thoughts from this incredible book.

During a recent season of reflection I realized that everything I struggle with is addressed in this one book.

I also realized the situations most other people struggle through are addressed in this book as well.

I hope you find this book as helpful as I have. I hope my thoughts and questions lead you in a positive direction.
The book of Proverbs opens with this claim:

"for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life; doing what is right and just and fair..."

As I've been reading Proverbs I've come to realize that all the things I wish were different, really can be. Join me as I look at this challenging book through the lens of gaps and how we can all close the gap between where we are and where we want to go!