Do you have a “Dirty Little Secret?”
Many people do. But to do the equivalent of spring-cleaning in your soul you must first admit your life is not “as pure as the driven snow.”
I’m always amused to hear someone say, “Deep down inside, everyone is basically good.” As much as we’d like to believe it, all the evidence points to the contrary.
We can tell what we’re really like by two things: 1) What we think about when we’re all alone and 2) What we do (or would do) if no one is watching and we don’t think we’ll be caught.
A T-shirt I saw on a young student perfectly describes the attitude that drives this behavior. It proclaimed, “It’s not illegal if you don’t get caught.”
Evil behavior is fast becoming a standard on the Internet. Web sites across the Internet are flooded with vicious and slanderous comments. People are attacked for their looks, their weight, their opinions and their behavior. Civility has all but disappeared.
An AP news story observed, “The Internet—and the anonymity it affords—has given a public stage to people’s basest thoughts, ones that in earlier eras likely never would have traveled past the water cooler, the kitchen table or the next barstool.”
Notice that the Internet doesn’t make our behavior worse--it just allows what we already are to be more public. It provides the cover human nature needs to “rear its ugly head.”
Communication experts are at a loss to explain “the rowdy Wild West situation” that anonymity provides “with no one to filter it.” So far the only solution has been to take down the message boards that give offenders a forum.
The Apostle James in the New Testament of the Bible got it right when he said, “The tongue is…a world of evil…and is itself set on fire by hell.”
Jesus went further when he pointed out the source of our words. He said, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” And “the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” Later he added, “No one is good—except God alone.”
Ouch! The truth hurts.
It would be easy to become a cynic about the human race--and many have. It looks hopeless.
But--hold on just a minute! There is good news. God can change the human heart. He can take what is corrupt and make it clean. In fact that’s one of the reasons for the Bible. It shows us real people whose lives God changed for the better. No one is beyond God’s help.
One of the worst was Saul who became the Apostle Paul. He was full of hatred and, by his own admission, a murderer. God changed him from a killer of Christians into a planter of churches. Read his story in the Bible book called The Acts of the Apostles, chapters 22 to 26.
Are you sick and tired of covering up who you really are? The message of the Bible is that God knows our hearts and he still loves us. He offers to forgive us and clean us up from the inside out. Forget about turning over a “new leaf.” God offers a whole new life.
The Bible says Jesus died for our sins so we could be forgiven and reconciled to God. The solution begins with a prayer of confession--calling on Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior--and it ends with a “clean slate.” God offers to take away your guilt and give you a fresh start.
Jesus called it being “born again.” It’s starting a whole new life as God’s child.
Does your soul need a spring-cleaning? God is up to the job if you give him a chance.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Unlikely Heroes
My childhood heroes were amazing. Heroes like Roy Rogers, Superman and Gene Autry. All were household names for my generation.
Such heroes were larger than life. It seemed like they could do anything!
What I didn’t know was that the true heroes in my life were the real people all around me.
People like my High School Guidance Counselor, Mr. Boyd. He listened to and advised me.
My Speech and Drama teacher, Mr. Umbach, taught me to express myself. To be me.
Mr. Amoresano, my Art teacher, encouraged creativity and believed in me when I did not.
The Teen Sunday School teacher at my church was Mrs. Culp. She prepared Bible lessons every Sunday and put up with distracted students. She wanted me to know God personally.
Ralph Irving was a youth sponsor at my church. He drove a big Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser Wagon and was our youth group’s transportation. Whether it was going bowling or just hanging out together, we could count on Ralph. He was there for us. He listened to us.
The reason I am who I am today is not because of Roy Rogers, Superman or Gene Autry. It’s because of people like Mr. Umbach, Mrs. Culp and Ralph Irving. Unlikely heroes all.
“Now hold it right there for just a minute! Aren’t heroes extraordinary people?” Not always.
In the song “Hero,” Christian rock band, SuperChick sang, “Heroes are made when you make a choice.” And that choice is the decision to get involved. To care about someone else’s needs.
Everyone must choose between getting involved in helping others or focusing on themselves.
One day a religious teacher asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Since they were both Jewish, Jesus asked him “What is written in the Law of Moses? How do you read it?”
The man replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“You have replied correctly,” Jesus answered. “Do this and you will live.”
But the man wasn’t satisfied and asked a follow up question: “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus’ answer was the story of the Good Samaritan. In the story, a man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. Three men happened upon the victim. The first two were religious leaders. But they crossed the road and passed by the man in need.
The third man, a despised Samaritan, stopped out of concern and helped the injured victim.
After Jesus told his story he asked the religious teacher which man was a neighbor to the man who was robbed. He could have asked which man was a hero. Same thing.
“The one who had mercy on him,” answered the teacher.
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
The Good Samaritan’s story is a surprisingly sad commentary on some people’s religion. The two you would expect to help did nothing. Apparently their religion didn’t affect their lives outside their house of worship. It could have but they didn’t let it.
The hero of the story stands out because he made a choice to help a stranger in need. It wasn’t an amazing supernatural ability that set him apart. It was his choice to care and to act.
If you think about it, your life probably has a few unlikely heroes, too. Ordinary people who changed your life because they really cared about you.
Imagine the difference your life could make if you choose to be a neighbor, a hero, to the people God puts in your path. You could go from zero to hero just by making that choice.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Such heroes were larger than life. It seemed like they could do anything!
What I didn’t know was that the true heroes in my life were the real people all around me.
People like my High School Guidance Counselor, Mr. Boyd. He listened to and advised me.
My Speech and Drama teacher, Mr. Umbach, taught me to express myself. To be me.
Mr. Amoresano, my Art teacher, encouraged creativity and believed in me when I did not.
The Teen Sunday School teacher at my church was Mrs. Culp. She prepared Bible lessons every Sunday and put up with distracted students. She wanted me to know God personally.
Ralph Irving was a youth sponsor at my church. He drove a big Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser Wagon and was our youth group’s transportation. Whether it was going bowling or just hanging out together, we could count on Ralph. He was there for us. He listened to us.
The reason I am who I am today is not because of Roy Rogers, Superman or Gene Autry. It’s because of people like Mr. Umbach, Mrs. Culp and Ralph Irving. Unlikely heroes all.
“Now hold it right there for just a minute! Aren’t heroes extraordinary people?” Not always.
In the song “Hero,” Christian rock band, SuperChick sang, “Heroes are made when you make a choice.” And that choice is the decision to get involved. To care about someone else’s needs.
Everyone must choose between getting involved in helping others or focusing on themselves.
One day a religious teacher asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Since they were both Jewish, Jesus asked him “What is written in the Law of Moses? How do you read it?”
The man replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“You have replied correctly,” Jesus answered. “Do this and you will live.”
But the man wasn’t satisfied and asked a follow up question: “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus’ answer was the story of the Good Samaritan. In the story, a man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. Three men happened upon the victim. The first two were religious leaders. But they crossed the road and passed by the man in need.
The third man, a despised Samaritan, stopped out of concern and helped the injured victim.
After Jesus told his story he asked the religious teacher which man was a neighbor to the man who was robbed. He could have asked which man was a hero. Same thing.
“The one who had mercy on him,” answered the teacher.
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
The Good Samaritan’s story is a surprisingly sad commentary on some people’s religion. The two you would expect to help did nothing. Apparently their religion didn’t affect their lives outside their house of worship. It could have but they didn’t let it.
The hero of the story stands out because he made a choice to help a stranger in need. It wasn’t an amazing supernatural ability that set him apart. It was his choice to care and to act.
If you think about it, your life probably has a few unlikely heroes, too. Ordinary people who changed your life because they really cared about you.
Imagine the difference your life could make if you choose to be a neighbor, a hero, to the people God puts in your path. You could go from zero to hero just by making that choice.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Money Trouble
Have you heard the news lately? We’ve got trouble. And it’s getting worse.
The last six months redefined the economic reality of our world. Boom years are history.
Since the stock market’s high point in October 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down some 50 percent. That means over the last 18 months we’ve seen half the value of our nation's wealth vanish into thin air.
Unemployment is the highest in 25 years. Millions of Americans are unemployed or underemployed. Small businesses are hurting. Big businesses are on the edge of bankruptcy.
One commentator put it like this: “Confidence is low. Credit is tight. People are anxious.”
What about our leaders? They seem clueless. Congress is spending money we don’t have to fix a problem they don’t understand. And we’re already in debt up to our eyeballs!
If there’s a silver lining to this storm cloud it’s that we’re better off than the rest of the world.
What’s the solution? So far there doesn’t seem to be one that will work.
“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that depressing? Where can we turn for help?”
How about God? Seriously.
Oh, sure—people pray, but when will we get serious about God? Like we did after 9/11?
Economically, the effects of this crisis could be more far reaching than the World Trade Center tragedy. This is a global economic mess. Fasten your seatbelt. It may be a rough ride.
Casual conversations frequently turn to the economy. People who never followed the stock market watch it now. They ask each other, “What’s going on? What will happen next?”
Does God have our attention yet?
Many years ago God told another nation in crisis, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Does that sound like something we need? No doubt. So what will you do about it?
Instead of pursuing possessions, will you seek God? Jesus said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” In one sentence Jesus diagnosed our trouble.
Our problem is we worship stuff and use God. Just the opposite of what we should do.
Jesus’ solution is to “store up for yourselves treasure in heaven” and to be “rich toward God.” We do that by spending money on things that have eternal value.
What if the Stock Market goes lower? What if you lose more of your wealth? What if you lose your job? Why not invest your time, energy and resources in God’s work now, where it will bring eternal returns?
This spring I’ll be in Trinidad on a mission trip. Friends who’ve invested in this trip know there will be eternal dividends on their money. Lives will be changed for good.
God is shaking our country and the world. He is making us all reconsider what we value, where our treasure is, where our hearts are. He is preparing us to stand before him.
When we see God, the Bible says there will be a day of accounting. He will ask us what we did with the resources He entrusted to us. What would you like to be able to tell him? That you helped the poor, fed the hungry and clothed the naked? That you helped the troubled find peace?
Some will be ashamed to say they spent everything on themselves. But that doesn’t have to be you! Start today and make an eternal difference in someone’s life. You’ll be glad you did.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
The last six months redefined the economic reality of our world. Boom years are history.
Since the stock market’s high point in October 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down some 50 percent. That means over the last 18 months we’ve seen half the value of our nation's wealth vanish into thin air.
Unemployment is the highest in 25 years. Millions of Americans are unemployed or underemployed. Small businesses are hurting. Big businesses are on the edge of bankruptcy.
One commentator put it like this: “Confidence is low. Credit is tight. People are anxious.”
What about our leaders? They seem clueless. Congress is spending money we don’t have to fix a problem they don’t understand. And we’re already in debt up to our eyeballs!
If there’s a silver lining to this storm cloud it’s that we’re better off than the rest of the world.
What’s the solution? So far there doesn’t seem to be one that will work.
“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that depressing? Where can we turn for help?”
How about God? Seriously.
Oh, sure—people pray, but when will we get serious about God? Like we did after 9/11?
Economically, the effects of this crisis could be more far reaching than the World Trade Center tragedy. This is a global economic mess. Fasten your seatbelt. It may be a rough ride.
Casual conversations frequently turn to the economy. People who never followed the stock market watch it now. They ask each other, “What’s going on? What will happen next?”
Does God have our attention yet?
Many years ago God told another nation in crisis, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Does that sound like something we need? No doubt. So what will you do about it?
Instead of pursuing possessions, will you seek God? Jesus said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” In one sentence Jesus diagnosed our trouble.
Our problem is we worship stuff and use God. Just the opposite of what we should do.
Jesus’ solution is to “store up for yourselves treasure in heaven” and to be “rich toward God.” We do that by spending money on things that have eternal value.
What if the Stock Market goes lower? What if you lose more of your wealth? What if you lose your job? Why not invest your time, energy and resources in God’s work now, where it will bring eternal returns?
This spring I’ll be in Trinidad on a mission trip. Friends who’ve invested in this trip know there will be eternal dividends on their money. Lives will be changed for good.
God is shaking our country and the world. He is making us all reconsider what we value, where our treasure is, where our hearts are. He is preparing us to stand before him.
When we see God, the Bible says there will be a day of accounting. He will ask us what we did with the resources He entrusted to us. What would you like to be able to tell him? That you helped the poor, fed the hungry and clothed the naked? That you helped the troubled find peace?
Some will be ashamed to say they spent everything on themselves. But that doesn’t have to be you! Start today and make an eternal difference in someone’s life. You’ll be glad you did.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Secret Life
Can you keep a secret? Chances are you already do--more than you care to admit!
“Now hold it right there for just a minute! How do you know whether or not I keep secrets?”
That’s a fair question. Let me answer with the words of Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez: “All human beings have three lives: public, private and secret.”
In public we cultivate the image of self we want others to believe is true. Generous. Kind. Talented. Family man. Successful woman. Whatever we think will make others like us.
In private we “let our hair down.” We become the person with whom we are comfortable. Only our family or closest friends see this person. Some parts of this self make us ashamed. So we guard it closely, afraid others will not like us if they know the truth.
Then there’s our secret life. The self we become when we think no one knows. The self of our daydreams and fantasies.
James Thurber famously portrayed this unseen side of our lives in his classic book, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”
Mitty was a meek, mild-mannered man dominated by others. But in his daydreams he was a fierce, courageous hero’s hero--the man he so desperately wanted to be.
What we are in the secret playground of our minds is the self we want to be. And while we may keep our secrets safe from others, we cannot keep them from God.
The Bible reveals that one day “God will judge men’s secrets.” It adds, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Accountability is a troubling thought to modern minds. We fancy ourselves free to do what we please without unpleasant consequences.
But the beauty of the Bible is that it presents us with unvarnished truth.
God says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Such truth pains our conscience. Why? Because we know God is ultimately right.
What makes the Bible unique is its uncanny ability to reveal who we really are. Its truth “judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Once we admit our shortcomings and humbly approach God in prayer, we find that “we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
God is not the angry scorekeeper some imagine. Instead of sternly looking for people to punish, God offers forgiveness and a fresh start to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ.
The best part is God welcomes all that seek him. You don’t have to come from a certain nationality or a particular religion. Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
Speaking of himself, Jesus added, “Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him, shall have eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day.”
It is no secret what God can do in a person’s life through Christ. So bring your secrets to God. He will love you, forgive you and transform you into the person you always wanted to be.
Then you can be the same person all the time. No more secrets. As God’s child, you have nothing to prove and nothing to lose because you’re loved and accepted for who you really are.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
“Now hold it right there for just a minute! How do you know whether or not I keep secrets?”
That’s a fair question. Let me answer with the words of Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez: “All human beings have three lives: public, private and secret.”
In public we cultivate the image of self we want others to believe is true. Generous. Kind. Talented. Family man. Successful woman. Whatever we think will make others like us.
In private we “let our hair down.” We become the person with whom we are comfortable. Only our family or closest friends see this person. Some parts of this self make us ashamed. So we guard it closely, afraid others will not like us if they know the truth.
Then there’s our secret life. The self we become when we think no one knows. The self of our daydreams and fantasies.
James Thurber famously portrayed this unseen side of our lives in his classic book, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”
Mitty was a meek, mild-mannered man dominated by others. But in his daydreams he was a fierce, courageous hero’s hero--the man he so desperately wanted to be.
What we are in the secret playground of our minds is the self we want to be. And while we may keep our secrets safe from others, we cannot keep them from God.
The Bible reveals that one day “God will judge men’s secrets.” It adds, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Accountability is a troubling thought to modern minds. We fancy ourselves free to do what we please without unpleasant consequences.
But the beauty of the Bible is that it presents us with unvarnished truth.
God says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Such truth pains our conscience. Why? Because we know God is ultimately right.
What makes the Bible unique is its uncanny ability to reveal who we really are. Its truth “judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Once we admit our shortcomings and humbly approach God in prayer, we find that “we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
God is not the angry scorekeeper some imagine. Instead of sternly looking for people to punish, God offers forgiveness and a fresh start to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ.
The best part is God welcomes all that seek him. You don’t have to come from a certain nationality or a particular religion. Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
Speaking of himself, Jesus added, “Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him, shall have eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day.”
It is no secret what God can do in a person’s life through Christ. So bring your secrets to God. He will love you, forgive you and transform you into the person you always wanted to be.
Then you can be the same person all the time. No more secrets. As God’s child, you have nothing to prove and nothing to lose because you’re loved and accepted for who you really are.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
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