Diversity Unites Around a Common Cause

We all generally believe that when we get others opinions, we can be more effective. Few generally believes he is a lone island and he has all knowledge within himself.  However, we generally get counsel from those we trust and are well acquainted with. However, what is surprising is that when we work with people that are "different" thank ourselves, we actually tend to perform better than those we tend to know better.

In a study done by Katherine Phillips, professor at Columbia Business School, groups put together with outsiders (people they had never met before) performed nearly twice as effectively as those that performed alone. No big surprise there. But they performed 40% better than those that were matched with people they already knew. It seems that the more insecure we are, the more inclined we are to reconcile opposite opinions. They were more focused and accurate. They were less quick to just jump on the opinion of someone else.

I have been part of a CLC group now for a year and a half. It is my second group. In CLC, you meet with a group of 10-14 guys once a week for two years. Our group like many is very diverse. But that is what makes it so cool. I have learned so much from my CLC brothers and by now, I know I can be completely transparent. It was not always that way as groups have to be together for a period of time before gelling.

Diversity within a common cause is the most effective. That is why you could go to a sporting event and be high-fiving your neighbor even though you don't know him. The shootings in Charleston instead of driving a wedge between the black and white community united them in a common resolve. It did not fulfill the shooters desire to ignite racial tension. The bond of a common faith is what united them. Kingdom diversity united through the perspective of grace. I find it amazing that we think that the solution to racial tension is to fight it from the outside-in. Education isn't the answer to the depraved human heart. Gun control won't solve hate. Reconciliation comes from the healing of the human heart. That can only be supernatural. And that is what we see happening in Charleston.

Men Need To Step Up

Today being Father's day we remember those dads who are instrumental in our lives. My dad is 84 and living near Tucson, Arizona. My dad took a strong interest in me, especially my athletics. He still remembers things from my youth that I have long since forgotten.  My father-in-law was also very special in my life. Like my dad, he took a special interest in my various software businesses. He went to be with the Lord in November, 2013 and I still miss him often.

I spend a lot of time with men as part of my ministries. I am also an observer of men in our culture. I have to say I am gravely concerned. Maybe it is me, but men seem to be much more passive today. There is a big difference between being quiet and being passive. My girls tend to be dominant personalities, so the men in their life tend to be quiet. But that does not make them passive. Passive is defined by the dictionary as "accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance". Withdrawn may be a better definition. Some of this is driven by our social media culture where it is so easy to withdraw.

Men are to be the spiritual leaders in the home. They are to set an example in ministry. In our marital mentoring, rarely will the man dispute that he is to be the leader in the home. But practically they don't do it. Why? It is so easy to let the wife lead. It starts with a personal relationship with Christ. If that is not strong, they is little chance for the home to be strong. If it is strong, the family is the beneficiary of the overflow life. Guys need to be in the presence of Christ reading Scripture, meditating, and praying often.

Second, men need to hang with other men. If men are in isolation, they are especially vulnerable. They need other men for accountability and exhortation. I meet with men frequently because not only do I need them, but they need me. Pat Morley, bestselling author of books to men says he can guarantee spiritual failure if those two things are absent. It is our only hope.

Are Storms Predictable?

This summer seems to be especially unpredictable when it comes to rain showers. Seems like they are popping up every day. I wanted to get on my bike and it had just rained today. So I popped up my trusty Weather Channel app and looked at the weather by hour which looked like this.

Looking at the hourly at the time there was a two hour window where there was 0% chance of rain. Thus I had a two hour window to get my ride in which is pretty much what I needed. That is pretty cool that in the midst of a stormy, rainy day, I can squeeze my ride in. As I sit here typing this blog, the weather isn't looking too hot.

We wish that trials were like this. God tells us that trials come. In fact 100% of people experience trials. God says in James 1:2 to "consider it all joy when you encounter various trials" (emphasis mine). It is not if, it is when you experience trials. Like saying to Clevelanders, you will have snow this winter. So we pack salt and get the snow shovels. The trick to trials is to prepare for them so that when they come, we have the foundation to endure them. Earlier this week I went to a Pirates game as I was in Pittsburgh. There were forecasts for the game of rain so some of us (not me) brought an umbrella. When the storm did come, I went back under the stands for cover.

The disciples knew that storms on the Sea of Galilee were commonplace. They did not know when but as seasoned fisherman they knew they were coming. Yet when the storm came and even knowing they had Jesus in the boat they panicked. If we know that we have Jesus present in our lives, we can withstand the storms of life whenever they come. We can even grow through them.