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A few days back, I wrote about our vacation (a trip back home for me) and mentioned that there were three things that I learned. Here’s the second:

• My parents live at the top of the hill. For whatever reason, it’s always seemed to be a magnet for stray dogs and sometimes even cats. Sure enough it happened while we were there. Twice! Now the first time it was a beautiful little black/tan dachshund. The cutest little thing that you ever did see. My parents had a min-pin for several years and had been resisting the urge to get another dog for some time. To keep this short, let’s just say that by the end of the day, they had a new dog and were thrilled.
• Now here’s the rub: The next day another stray showed up. This dog was ugly, bony and growled when you got near. Nasty thing and I led the charge in trying to shoo it off. But it wouldn’t leave and neither of my parents were in any condition to do anything about it. Worse, my wife, daughter, and son all expected me to do something to help out this mangy cur.
• Do you see the rub? Pretty dog shows up…. HEY, WE HAVE A HOME FOR YOU RIGHT HERE! Ugly dog shows up…. GET LOST YOU MANGY CUR!
• While I didn’t see it that way immediately, my family did and boy, did they work me over. So one morning, I coaxed the dog into the back of my dad’s truck, and then gave it some food and water. Meanwhile, Robin did her best to find a shelter where we could take the animal. (a story for a different time)

This experience left quite a mark on me and as a pastor, it’s made me ask this question: Who are we really trying to reach? Who are we trying to contact? Whose life is worth changing? If we’re honest with ourselves, we probably won’t like the answer to that question. Are we willing to do what it takes to reach the people that nobody wants to reach? You know who they are.

Statistics say that you reach the people that you are most like. You can reach up a little. You can reach down a little. You can reach across a little.

I say those statistics exist because that’s where we’re comfortable reaching. We’d be a lot more successful reaching others if we saw them not with our eyes but through the eyes of God.

Heavy topic I know but I can’t get away from it.

Hmm, should I use that as a title? Should I rely on shock value to get someone to check out this post? Hmmmmmm…..

Let me think on that one for a while but while I’m thinking, here’s the reason for the title. Once, I was in a meeting discussing long-term strategy for a large successful business. There were four people in the room. One was in charge (not me) and the rest of us answered to him. Only one person in that room was enjoying any measure of success that year and it was me. Me. ME. ME! And in my actions and comments I was letting them know it. This was an emotional meeting. Jobs were on the line and I was responsible for 10 times more people than anybody else. So I was making my points and not apologizing. That’s when the boss looked directly at me and stated, “try not to be an ass your whole life”. Strong words for a strong meeting but you know what? He was right.
Did you know that you can be right and still be wrong! If your attitude isn’t right. Nothing else matters. While that’s a lesson important in all facets of life, it’s most important when someone claiming to be a Christ follower interacts with someone that he/she thinks is not. See you may have the key to eternal life but if you don’t live it and don’t show it nothing you say will make a difference.

Paul tell us in 1 Corinthians 13:2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Be right but be right in the right way! Have a great week.

A few days back, I wrote about our vacation (a trip back home for me) and mentioned that there were three things that I learned. Here’s the first:

1. Have you ever noticed how people who help others always have friends? I mean always! I have an aunt and I went to visit her twice while on vacation. The first time was to her home and it was because I wanted to. She is one of the sweetest, most honest, most genuine individuals that I know. The second time was where she works and it was because I needed to. See my aunt is a nurse and I needed some professional “advice”. While my aunt was “advising” me I noticed how many people dropped in to see what she was doing and absolutely every one of them insisted on helping her. Why? Because my aunt always helps them. People who help others always have friends! When I grow up, I want to be just like her.

How does a church make an impact in its community? How does a church increase its effectiveness to where if the church disappeared one day, the community in which it resides would miss them? That should be one of the goals of the local church: To bring about change in the community. In Acts 2:47, the Bible says: praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Did you get that? The church had favor with all the people. Now I’m not saying that everybody will understand and agree with what the church is about but imagine a community where people say “I don’t get that church but whenever something happens, they’re here to help.” What do you think? Do you think it’s easier to share the good news of Jesus Christ when they see you doing good deeds? I do. In fact, the second part of that verse even says that they added to their number daily. That’s what I call making an IMPACT!

We need to ask ourselves how do we make an impact? I-M-P-A-C-T?

• I – I need to be Involved. If this is going to work, I have to be part of it. No sideline sitting. I means yoU!
• M – The message of the church must be Encouraging, Enthusiastic and Engaging. I’m not just talking about Sunday morning but in everything the church does.
• Praise – The church must praise God in an Energetic, Electric and Exalting way.
• Attitude, Aptitude & Atmosphere
• Children – our ministry to children must be Entertaining, Educational and Enticing.
• Team – While it begins with me (the I in IMPACT), it simply won’t work if everyone doesn’t pull together as a Team.

Imagine if a church… your church followed the example set by Jesus and the early church. Imagine what we might be able to do to bring about a change in the communities in which we live.

Recently my family took a little trip (800+) miles to the hills of Tennessee. I grew up there and we try to make it back every year at least for a few days. Now trips to visit family are not necessarily synonymous with vacations. I’ve even heard them called “obligation vacations.”  In fact, I believe that most times when someone says “I need a vacation after my vacation” it’s because they went to visit family and had their time all chewed up with trying to see everyone and have everyone see them. When you have a family as large as mine, it’s just impossible to see everybody and over the years, I’ve become much better, to my mom’s dismay, in just saying “not this trip.”

I say all this just so I can say, this was not an obligation vacation. At least not that kind of obligation. Within the past year, my mom has had a battle with pancreatic cancer (not to mention breaking her arm a few weeks back) and my dad has recently had surgery on his back, so both of them are not capable of doing what they normally would do and in the summer that’s work around their home and garden. So this year my intent was to spend my time and energy on things that they would normally be doing if they could & guess what? We had an awesome trip! I won’t bore you with the details but I’ll just say that this was MY type of obligation vacation. Sprinkle in some really cool things that my folks did for us and we just had a great time.

There were three things that I learned on this trip and I’ll be sharing them in the coming days. Stay tuned and have a great August.

All too often we use prayer as a last resort. We stumble around trying to fix the things in our lives that are broken, doing it our way. Only when we come up against a dead-end do we then take the time to say “umm, God could you help me…. please”

We need to start our day and end our day in prayer.

Hand in your needs on your hands and knees.

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Philippians 4:6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Mondays are for grumbling and groaning but also for laughing about what happened on Saturday and Sunday. Wednesdays are hump days. Thursdays are “almost there” days. Fridays are FRIDAYS, ‘nuf said.

So what then are Tuesdays? Tuesdays are reality check days. Yes, this is your world. Yes, this is in fact what you do.

If weekends represent what our fantasies are then Tuesdays represent what our life is: Tuesdays are Truth-days.

So here is a truth for you on this Tuesday:

Jesus lived for you, died for you and now he lives for you. You. You. You. Not me. Not anybody else. You! We forget that sometimes. No matter what you’ve done, his life was for you. Don’t ever forget that. Don’t ever let life get you down to where you think you have no value. You were worth God in heaven coming down to earth and living, dying, and living again for you. That makes you pretty special.

So go ahead, LIVE DIFFERENT and MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Happy Tuesday!

Let me start by saying that I’m not a Facebook/Twitter hater. I use both and so does my wife and daughter. They’re great tools for staying in contact with friends that live far away from us. GREAT tools for communication. I’m just not convinced that their great tools for community.

Recently I hid someone on FB. I got tired of looking at their inane comments and crude sayings. So with a click of the button, I hid them. I didn’t “defriend” them, I just hid them. That way they’re still in my friend count and they’ll still be able to read my nuggets of wisdom.

Don’t end the relationship. Hide the relationship. No prob, except for the fact that there is no RELATIONSHIP! How many friends on FB or Twitter do you really have a relationship with?

Remember the front porch? or the ring of the doorbell? Remember when you were glad when a neighbor would stop by? Yeah, I don’t either. The reality is the first house we bought had a two car attached garage and one of the first things that I bought was a garage door opener. But I do remember Grandma’s front porch and how it always seemed occupied with friends and family.

Can we ever go back to the “good ol’ days?” Nope! But that doesn’t mean that we can’t do something. Time to hit the reset button. Remember the Ma Bell ad: Reach out and touch someone? That’s my challenge to you. Find someone on your Facebook list that lives close to you that you haven’t seen in a while and reach out to them. Have a cup of coffee. Do lunch. Invite their family over for dinner. Instead of Facebook, go old school…. Face to Face. It’s the best form of wireless communication ever invented. Never underestimate the value of Face to Face, Eye to Eye, or at the very least Ear to Ear.

Have a great week! God bless you.