Friday, October 30, 2009

Love is ...

A common metaphor for success in the business world is climbing the ladder. The higher one climbs the better.
Often, it is accompanied with the idea of knocking others off the ladder, so one can advance more easily. The main concept of the metaphor is that it is better to look down on people. When a person looks down, it places them in a position of superiority. To remain in that superior place, a person needs to continue to move higher or push others lower.

The world seems to reguard this pursuit as bringing life. In reality, it brings death – to those below and those above. On the contrary, life and energy seem to be created when people give no consideration to their “height.” If a person does not look at life in terms of up and down, he free for other considerations, other focuses. Maybe one that pushes everybody up the ladder.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Love is ...

Over the last few years, I have come to realize that some people want to hear “good news” about people they know. But I also realized it is only true if they value other people and are not consumed by their own issues.

Most people would not want to be bothered. And we all know people who would be depressed for a week by someone else’s “good news” and the fact they did not have any. Some, we suspect would sabotage the “good news” if they could.

If we get outside of ourselves, we will celebrate everyone’s “good news” and embrace their “bad news” with them also.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Love is ...

Too often people are engrossed in their own affairs. They only see their own problems, pleasures, space and world.

There always seems to be a surge of relief, gratitude and joy when we find someone who sees beyond their circumstances and steps into the circumstances of others, getting involved, providing help, solutions, benefit, comfort, courage or encouragement.

Life, society and the nature of man can lead everyone to self-focus. Alertness to the condition of others and willingness to step in and act require firm commitments to the inherent value of love and of people and discipline and courage to look at the world with a heart to engage it.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Love is ...

Emotion that gets expressed too quickly or too soon is often uncontrolled. It gets expressed inappropriately – harshly or in anger. So, love stretches out the expression of emotions.

Strong emotions take off by themselves. The person needs to hang onto them, so they don’t run wild and crash into anything. So, they stretch them.

A person who keeps a firm hold on his emotions recognizes the value of people and the damage run away emotions can cause. Stretching emotions is a choice to avoid damage to other people. It expresses value given to people.

Monday, October 12, 2009

More Missions

Sin entered the world and marred the nature of God’s creation. His intentions, desires and goals for mankind have been eternally thwarted. So, He packs it in. He quits. He takes His ball and goes home.

No He doesn’t. His purposes have not been thwarted. His intentions and goals remain the same. He will create a people who enter into a love relationship with Him. He will create a community that will mirror His community within the Godhead.

More over, the fallen nature of His community will bring an opportunity to bring Him greater glory.

• Part of the Godhead will go on a mission of redemption.
• People will choose to become part of His community.
• His family – marred by the fall – will be transformed by His presence among them and their participation in His family.
• His family will become an influence that restores His creation to what He originally intended.

God is working consistently, steadfastly and strategically, sometimes behind the scenes, and sometimes with great fanfare. But He is always active across the great backdrop of history to bring these things to pass.

We already rejoice at the completion of Jesus’ mission. We already rejoice when people choose to be part of His community. Don’t we rejoice when we see people change and conform to His image? Do we rejoice when His community works to restore the original image of creation?

Friday, October 09, 2009

Mission as Fuel

Mission is fundamental to the nature of God. God created with a purpose. God ties His glory to the completion of that purpose. God chose Abraham for more than the beginning the lineage of David, for more than the giving of the Messiah. God chose Abraham to live a life a blessing, and to give that blessing to the world. As the world receives that blessing, the world will turn their eyes to the God who gives all good things. And when Israel failed to be the blessing, He called people in the world to be a kingdom, a family, a special assembly designed to bless the world. That assembly should bless the world, calling it to share God’s life, and uniting themselves with God – under His name, as a part of that assembly. That role should be part of His family’s DNA. To live as if there is no mission denies God’s purpose for His family.

Thursday, October 08, 2009

God's Mission

All of God’s thoughts, words and deeds are designed to bring Him glory.

All of God’s intentions toward us, His works for us and with us are designed to bring Him glory.

And our mission is to paint the world with His glory … three coats! We are to describe His glory by sharing who He is and what He does. We are to live and act so others give Him glory.