Plugging Into Life Giving Light

We have had a ton of rain so far this summer. For a guy who is sun starved like me, this is a major issue. I have seasonal affective disorder that hits really hard from November through April. I take 10,000 units of Vitamin D to counter this malady. Normally I go off Vitamin D from late April through October, but with all of the gloom in June I almost went back on it. So it has been so nice to actually have days of straight sunshine for the past week. I took a break while riding my bike to just soak in the sunshine that my body really craved.

It is not surprising that one of the I AM statements that Jesus used is the light of the world. He said "He who follows me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life" (John 8:12). I don't think the light of life was referring to man-made fluorescent light which didn't exist at the time of Christ, but of the natural rays of the sun. It gives life-giving sustenance. Just as the body craves it, so the natural person craves the spiritual light and absence it, we seek substitutes.

I just finished a documentary on Antarctica. Four months of the year, there is virtually no light. The 700 people each year who "winter" in Antarctica are a special kind of people. But the sun skirts around the horizon in August and the wintering inhabitants literally soak it in for its brief period. I find if I am absence from the light of Christ too long, I become moody and depressed just like how I feel in the long winters. I desperately need that life giving light to counter the darkness of my soul.
 

Thoughts On My Friend George

George Cull was ushered into the presence of the Lord Jesus last Monday night. George was 84 and had a number of physical issues related to his heart primarily so this was not a surprise. In fact George had a defibrillator that would shock his heart every time that his heart would stop. There were several times where George actually died and was shocked back to life.

I spent two years with George most every week as part of our CLC group. George was our elder statesman. In fact, the age range of our CLC was part of its dynamic. We had men in their twenties on up to George. There were many things that made George unique. First, George came to know Christ late in life - around 71. That is so unusual and it goes to show that it is never too late. Secondly, George was a man of compassion in service. George had a heart especially for those who gave their life in martyrdom for the cause of Christ. George reminded us not to forget those through his service with Voice of the Martyrs. George was always available to counsel those who were struggling. George and Sandy made their beautiful home (and pool) available as a tool of ministry. I remember vividly George leading our CLC group on the subject of servant leadership. George demonstrated by foot washing. I had never seen this physically illustrated and it was powerful in its reminder. Thankfully, I snapped a picture.
 

I had breakfast with George several weeks ago and got to see him about a week before his death at his house. George as always was positive. George was just a guy you felt good being around. He had this way about him that effused love and grace. He was sharp - very sharp so you could not run around him intellectually. With one exception however - he was hard of hearing and you had to remind yourself sometimes to turn up the volume.

I am reminded how diverse God's church is and that diversity is what makes it work. That is one of the benefits of CLC is this diversity of men. I will miss George greatly and am privileged to have known him. I am so grateful to God for putting him in my life and look forward to reuniting with him. 

First Impression Bias

A number of weeks ago, our company was exhibiting at a trade show. A man of large stature approached our booth as well as a very short woman both from the same organization. Now in the world of trade shows, you have to determine fairly quickly who is a potential buyer and who are what we affectionately call "lookie-loos".  You want to especially spend your time with those that can actually buy something. I ASSUMED the man of large stature was the decision maker and the woman of short stature was his assistant or someone of less importance so I spent most of my time addressing him. At the end of our demonstration, he referred to the woman of short stature as his "bosses boss". We were joking about it afterwords as we seemingly were all caught in bias. I even jokingly told my co-worker Debbie (also my spouse so I can get away with this statement) that I thought I would ask the woman of short stature to get coffee for us.

Malcom Gladwell wrote a book "Blink" that describes the kind of rapid judgment calls we make. It is called "thin-slicing". It is a necessary part of the human decision making process. As a business owner, I have to make snap judgments all the time, usually every day. But it is very dangerous when we apply it to human beings who have been uniquely made in the image of God. Stature is very misleading. Saul, the failed king of Israel was a tall man of great stature. David, God's man was "ruddy" which almost means kind of effeminate looking. Paul apparently was not a man of great stature. The apostles for the most part were men you would not pick as your football team.

My judgment call was incorrectly based on stature only and obviously an incorrect one. I think what I need and what most of us needs is a more discerning heart when it comes to people. Thin slicing is not a bad thing - we have to be able to make sound decisions on minimal information. But when it comes to people, we need to be more contemplative. We need to see them through the God lens. Each is unique and who they are in God's eyes and their potential is not always obvious. In the business context, had I looked past my sexist-height bias, I would have seen that more clearly.

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.

What if My Thoughts Were Mic'd Up

Lebron James was mic'd up during the recent round of the NBA playoffs. While there are moments where he may be kind of playing up to the mic (the pregnant woman comment for instance), I do think we see Lebron's leadership front and center. Very happy he is back in Cleveland (where he belongs).

Which leads me to think - "what if my thoughts were mic'd up". I heard Pastor Joe say this weekend that God knows our thoughts and if others would see it on the screen of life, we would be so rapidly disqualified from just about everything. Probably just in the past 24 hours my thoughts would reveal the following:

• Calling someone (under my breath) a "f---- ass----" who almost cut me off on the trail.
• Lusting over the scantily clad girl in Panera
• Getting impatient over a slow driver in front of me
• Feeling I am not getting recognized for something I should
• Being covetous over some recognition someone else got
• Mind wandering in church while we are singing hymns (thinking about the Cavaliers interestingly enough)
• ..... and that is in the past 24 hours or so

It is not surprising that when Jesus talks to the Pharisees he brings things always back to the seat of the mind. Permit me to paraphrase Jesus.  "You say do not commit adultery, but I say you have already committed adultery in your mind". "You say do not commit murder, but I say whoever curses or calls someone fool is guilty of fiery hell".

No way you would be my friend if you knew what I thought. There is a very fine line separating me from the worst person we can imagine. That is what is so amazing about grace. Grace is God seeing me and knowing me at my absolute worst and loving me, pursuing me, caring for me, sacrificing for me. God, the creator taking my absolute worst upon himself in judgment and freeing me from the tyranny of my own thoughts.

I get heaven - God judicially paying the penalty for my worst. That is grace. But I also get life here. Seeing good in people, loving people, caring for people. Not perfectly - that will never happen this side of eternity. But imperfectly through my own carnal flesh. Lord, as you mic up my thoughts, thank you for accepting me at my worst and transforming me into your image.