Cause to Pause

I may touch on some sensitive topics in this one, so please know up front it is not my intention to inflame or offend, only to make one consider.

I am not sure why, but during worship the other week my mind drifted to the thoughts of those who, for one reason or another, made the tragic decision to end their life. It may have had something to do with one of the characters in the Andy Andrews book “The Noticer”. An elderly woman who thought  she had nothing to contribute and was just spending her days waiting to die. In effect, she had committed suicide. While she was still technically alive, the life had gone out of her. She had watched as her friends, relatives and husband all passed on. The pain of loss was so great she was unable to move forward and establish new relationships. Unable to LIVE.

At any rate, if you take the pain out of the equation, physical, emotional, spiritual, etc. this leaves us very much in the place Jesus spoke about in Matthew 5. Life, with its pain, losses and just general byproducts of a fallen world can make us want to just sit around and wait until the end comes. I think that is why so many Christians are enthralled with all things eschatological (Someone owes me at least $3 for that word). Eschatology being the study of end times. “When Jesus comes back”. So enthralled with the final scene that they are effectively not living out their PRESENT redemption! We were redeemed – bought with a price – not to sit around making maps, charts, and graphs plotting some final battle when bugs that look like tiny flying horses are going to get wiped out by nuclear weapons, except for Jerusalem because those missiles will all fall as duds at the outskirts of town and be cleaned up by guys in white suits foretold in Ezekiel (and we wonder why people think we’re nuts). We were redeemed so we could go tell others that this life is NOT all there is. To go serve others. To go comfort others.

When the woman in “The Noticer” gets a new perspective, looks at things differently, she finds she has a lot of life left. There is still a lot to do. Gifts to be used.
And so it is with us. No matter what life throws at us, there is still a lot to do, gifts to be used. People to be served. Lives to be changed.

Yep. Been a while since I’ve posted a Shameless Plug. That isn’t to say that there hasn’t been some folks who deserved a shout out. I’ve just been a little preoccupied.
Also, there is one company who I have really been holding out on. I REALLY want to add them to the Shameless Plug list, but so far, no luck. (Hint: they make phone equipment and their initials are AVAYA). Keep watch because I am SURE they will do the right thing. Eventually.

So, without further adieu:

1. Derek Berg, Scott Goodger and Dave Waters. This year’s planners, organizers, and general captains of industry for the Fall FL.CITRT. aka FL.CITRT 2009 ver. 2.0. All the details can be found at FL.CITRT.ORG as well as Derek’s blog, Scott’s blog and Dave’s blog….when they get a chance to post to them. It promises to be better, faster, and more stable than FL.CITRT 2009 ver. 1.0.
2. Reading. As in a book. Made of paper. So far this year I have read more books than any previous year. I think I am at six or seven. Check out my book review page (not all the books qualify for a review). More coming soon. Next up: Max Lucado.
3. Anyone involved in small group ministry. One of the guys in my men’s group has a schedule change and will not be able to make it until after the first of the year. He suggested we record our weekly study so he could listen to it later. I responded “I don’t think we have anything worth taping.” I was soundly rebuked by the group as a whole.
   Think small groups don’t make a difference in people’s lives? Think again.
4. Speaking of Men’s Groups. Honor Guard at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens. This has the potential to change men’s ministries as we know them. Follow the CF Men’s page for details or contact them directly.

Probably going to get yelled at by the Blasphemy Police on this one. I could argue my case, but I won’t.

Jesus was asked “In all the law, what is the most important commandment?” Jesus’ answer was “Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.” Then He said “The second one is like it “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

People ask, “How can I succeed in work/business?” The same principle applies.

The first and greatest commandment is this: “Add value to the brand”.
The second is like unto it “Make the corporation money”.

On this rests all the laws of the Marketing and HR departments.

Truth be told, just like that incident 2000 years ago, it really is that simple. You can’t do one without the other and they both have to come from a genuine place in your heart.

“But what if I work for a church?”

Seems to me like whenever anyone asked Jesus a follow-up question, the real question they asked was “How can I do an end-run without following what you just said?”

Add value to the brand.
Make the corporation money (or, if you must, in the church world, steward the resources well).

Or, again to paraphrase Jesus “Don’t think about yourself all the time. Think about others and how you can serve them.”