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What Superman And Godly Leaders Have In Common

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When I think about the third quality of godly leaders, the image of Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent (in the 1978 movie, Superman) comes to my mind. If you saw the movie, you will probably follow my line of thinking. See if my thinking makes sense to you.

godly leaders

Qualities Of Godly Leaders

In my last two posts, I introduced you to Dr. Crawford Loritts and his 4 little known qualities of godly leaders. Dr. Loritts cited these qualities in his segment in Dennis Rainey’s Stepping Up Video Series.

In the first post, we tackled the first quality – brokenness. In the next post, we discussed the second quality – uncommon communion. Today, we will talk about his third quality – servanthood as an identity – and how it relates to Superman!

Superman vs. Clark Kent

Let’s start with Superman and his cover identity, Clark Kent. Kent was really Superman, but did not want anyone to know it. He attempted to develop this “identity” as a bumbling newspaper reporter so that no one would catch on to his real identity as that of Superman. For all of us watching the movie, he was not very convincing. We could not understand why people didn’t catch on (a tribute to Reeve’s acting ability!).

Lois Lane, his coworker, eventually figured out he was faking the clumsy act, but many others were still clueless.

So what does this have to do with qualities of godly leaders? Everything!

Servanthood, As An Identity

In his description of servanthood as the third quality of godly leaders, Dr. Loritts made sure to emphasize the fact that this quality has to be a part of the leader’s identity. He said, “Written into the hearts of great leaders is a love and a care for the people they serve and lead…Its part of who they are, part of their identity.”

He went on to say how critical it is for this idea of servanthood to actually be a part of the godly leaders’ identity, not just something they do for show. That is when Clark Kent popped into my mind.

Just An Act

As I watched Reeve as Kent in the movie, I loved his body language and facial expressions. He was masterful in his portrayal of Kent. Unfortunately, I don’t see his act playing out in real life. No matter how good he was at the act, it was clearly not who he actually was. The real identity showed itself when the pressure was on.

The same is true for those of us striving to be godly leaders. If we want to be the real deal, then servanthood cannot be an act for us. We cannot just say we love those we are leading and serving.

We actually have to love them!

The Truth Will Show

Anything else will eventually show through. Our real identity will come out. This will most likely happen when the pressure on us increases. Choices will present themselves and our real identity will choose. If we have just been acting like we love those we lead, then our choices will reflect who or what we really love.

Jesus was not acting when he washed the feet of the disciples. He was showing His true love for them. Don’t believe me, then just look at the cross. He proved it there.

We likely won’t be tested with a cross, but know this – we will be tested. And know that when we are tested, our true identity will show. When this happens, whether we are even aware of it or not, others will take note. They will see the acting for what it is and they will no longer follow.

Pray For Help!

Folks, if we are serious about being godly leaders, then we simply must ask God to love those we lead and to do it through us. We must sincerely seek to love them as He does. We must determine to serve them as a way to convey this love to them.

If, instead, you attempt to “act” your way through it, your audience will know it. They will wonder how anyone could fall for it!

On a scale of one to ten, where is your love for those you serve and lead?

If your rating is low, are you aware that people around you already know it?

What is God leading you to do differently?

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4 Little Known Qualities Of Godly Leaders

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Anywhere you look these days, you can find a book (or a dozen) on leadership. Everyone feels they know what it takes to be a leader. I am not going to pretend that I have some secret sauce or silver bullet on what it takes to be a great leader. If you are looking for that, keep looking. It may be even tougher to find the same for godly leaders. I personally do not think you will ever find it.

godly leaders

Courtesy of Flickr/Simoes

Qualities Of Godly Leaders

At the same time, I believe it can be very helpful for us to find many true and healthy perspectives on the characteristics and qualities of godly leaders. I believe the more we can learn about what great and godly leaders look like, the better we can hope to mimic them.

It is for this reason that I take notes anytime I hear a description of godly leaders, either as individuals or as a group. I then take what I learn and pass it on through this blog. Today, I would like to share what I learned about great, godly leaders from Dr. Crawford Loritts, a pastor in Atlanta, GA.

Loritts talked about four qualities or characteristics of great, godly leaders during his segment in Dennis Rainey’s Stepping Up video series. Even these are not commonly found in leadership books, I believe we all need to seek these qualities. If we do, I believe God can better use us to point others to Him. I will tackle the first of these qualities today.

Quality #1 – Brokenness

The first little known quality of great, godly leaders as described by Dr. Loritts is brokenness. There are not many leadership books that mention brokenness as a quality of a great leader. In fact, I think very few of us would come up with this quality at first glance.

At the same time, after considering what Dr. Loritts had to say, I would have to agree with him! Before I go further into what he said about brokenness, let’s talk about what the opposite would mean.

Opposite View?

When I think of someone who is NOT broken, the characteristics I come up with are whole, strong, confident…they have it all together. These characteristics may actually be the ones you would find in a leadership book. This actually sounds more like a leader than one that is broken, right?

So let’s take a look at what Dr. Loritts said. First, he said that one who is broken has come to the realization that life is not about him, but is instead about God.

Think about that.

Broken Leader

A broken leader is one that is fully aware that alone, he is not whole or strong. Alone, this leader is not confident. Nor does he have it all together. This leader has come to the place where he acknowledges that he alone cannot be a leader after God’s own heart. He realizes that leadership is about much more than him!

As a result, Dr. Loritts continues, this leader has a healthy reliance on God. He knows that he cannot accomplish God’s plan on his own. He is not capable on his own and therefore relies on God for everything.

Cracked Leaders?

Some of us have partially come to this point. Call us cracked (but not yet broken)! We rely on God for the tough stuff. We rely on Him when we don’t know what to do. We rely on him when we face a situation that confuses or scares us.

But the rest of the time, we do our own thing. We are NOT yet broken.

Fully Broken

The great, godly leader has seen missed opportunities and failed endeavors when he tried it on his own in the past. These cause him to break down and cry. He has even mourned over good results that could have been miraculous if he had relied on God and not himself.

This leader is fully broken because his experience has shown him the futility of leading on his own. He knows there are possibilities that he cannot even imagine IF he will rely on God. He is broken because he is no longer willing to settle for less than miraculous results. He is wholly and fully committed to relying on God.

What About You And Me?

How much of this describes you and your leadership?

If you are like me, this is convicting. I know I understand this because it resonated with me. At the same time, I am completely guilty of trying to do it on my own too often. My prayer is that we will stop seeing ourselves as needing to be so strong. Instead, may we heed God’s words to Paul in 2 Corinthians.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

Have you considered brokenness as a godly leader quality?

Do you see yourself as possessing the quality of brokenness?

What do you think are Dr. Loritts’ other three qualities of godly leaders?

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Please Take My 2015 Reader Survey

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I want to make sure I am creating the content on this blog that best meets your needs and interests. I am only able to do that if I know more about you so I am conducting this 2015 Reader Survey.
reader survey

Would you please help me with this? All I ask is that you take a few minutes to complete this survey. It is short (only 16 questions) and easy to do. It should take a max of 5 minutes and the results are completely anonymous.

Best of all – you are helping yourself! The better I can understand you and your interests and needs, the better the content will be that you find here!

I really hope you will take the time to help. If so, click below.

Thanks in advance!

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Why Are You Feeling Stuck In Your Job?

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When you wake up in the morning, are you truly excited to go to work? Why? Be honest, does your mind jump to all of the thrilling opportunities you have in front of you for that day? Do you start thinking about how fortunate you are to be able to do what you do for a living?

why

Not Too Excited

If you are like too many people in this world, you could not answer “yes” to any of these questions. In fact, you possibly felt that a “yes” answer was not even a remote possibility. If anything, you may could think of a handful of days over too long a period of time when you were excited to go to work, but they probably were not normal days.

If this is true of you, it may also be true to say that you have drifted into a kind of survival mode at work. Maybe you are on some kind of cruise control in your job. You are just doing your best to keep things going as they have been. You may not necessarily be falling behind or slacking on your job, but you are not really gaining ground either.

Know Why You Are Stuck?

Does any of this describe you? Are you tired of being stuck? Do you wish there was a way to get out of this rut? Have you thought about it on occasion but you don’t really know what to do to change things? Hopefully, you CAN answer “yes” to some or all of these questions.

I say that because I think I might have your answer.

Please know up front that I am not the expert here. I do not claim to be able to fix everything about your job. I may not even be able to completely resolve this specific situation I am describing right now.

Why I Can Help

At the same time, I do believe I can help. I believe I can help you get your passion back. I think I can show you something you might be missing. In doing so, I think you can quickly move into a position where you are eager to go to work again!

Does this sound too good to be true?

Based on my experience, it is not.

Why Is The Secret!

It is my belief that too many people struggle with their work for one simple reason….

Either they have forgotten their true “Why” or they have the wrong “Why”.

If you ask the majority of people why they do the work they do, they likely have a hard time answering you. Some will say they do this work because its what they know how to do. Or it is what they (or their family) have always done.

Others will point to their income and say that no other work would pay them as well. You might hear someone answer that they do the work they do because it used to excite them. They used to love it, but it has now gotten old or no longer thrills them the way it did before.

What About You?

What is your answer to this question? Why do you do the work you do? Why do you have the job you have? Why do you go to work every day?

If you have not thought about this, I encourage you to take some time and think about it. In fact, if you are serious about improving your situation, then I suggest you actually take the time to write out an answer to these questions. Act as if you must turn in this answer for a grade…an important one.

The Why Is The Root

Here is the root problem – you cannot get fulfillment from a job (and the fulfillment is what is missing) when you are not there for a clear reason that gets to the core of who you are.

More simply put, you cannot enjoy your job if you don’t know why you are there.

More Than A Paycheck

And this “Why” has to be more than just a paycheck or an entry on a resume. It has to resonate with your soul. The “Why” must connect directly with the person you want to be. It needs to bring goosebumps or cause a chill to go down your spine.

It has to be that significant.

Anything less will fade over time and put you right back where you are now.

Too Much To Ask?

So, the first thing you are probably thinking is that this is asking too much. Maybe someone like Dr. Ben Carson can have this kind of a “Why” when he surgically separates conjoined twins and enables them to have fully separate and productive lives.

Or you might think that kind of a feeling is possible for someone like Mother Teresa or Billy Graham. Maybe you think that these are the kinds of people that get chills when they think about the impact they can have on others, but for you to hope for this kind of “Why” is just not reasonable.

I disagree.

Different, But Still Impactful

It is true that your “Why”, and especially your “How”, can be different from theirs. At the same time, your “Why” can and SHOULD have the same impact on you that theirs has on them! No joke!

In my next post, we will go a little deeper into what your “Why” should be. Before I do that, I am charging you with taking some time to think about this on your own. Pray about it. Ask for wisdom and insight into this idea. God is faithful and He will answer you. I will be praying for you as well.

Have you thought about your “Why” before?

What are some of your reasons to do what you do?

Does your “Why” reach to your core?

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Anger Without Madness?

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If you have not been full of anger to the point of expressing it in a way that you later regret, then it is likely you have not been in the business world very long. If you are a business veteran and have never overreacted in anger, then you are to be admired. For the rest of us, this is something we likely need some help with on a regular basis!

anger

Anger At Work?

When was the last time you got angry at work? More important than what caused your anger to come to the surface, how did you handle it?

Looking back (maybe even just minutes ago!), are you proud of the way you acted or do you wish you could have a do-over? Would you be okay with a quick video of your reaction showing on the news tonight or being shared all over Facebook and Twitter? Or more likely, would you prefer everyone who witnessed your actions would forget all about them?

If you are in the majority of us that on occasion allow their anger to get the best of us, then maybe you need to stop and take a look at this issue with me. I can promise that you are not alone, but at the same time that is not a valid excuse anymore than jumping off the bridge because everyone else did!

The Right Topic

The Bible is pretty clear when it comes to anger and how we express it. In fact, I will share quite a few verses that address this very topic. However, before I do this, I want to make sure we are addressing the right topic.

While you may think the topic of anger should be fairly self-evident, there is actually more to it than you might think. See, anger is not the problem. In fact, anger by itself is not a sin. There is nothing in the world wrong with anger.

God is perfectly holy and without sin. Yet throughout the Old Testament, there are descriptions of God’s anger – always in response to sin (Deuteronomy 11:16-17). Jesus walked this earth without sin, but we all know about the scene at the temple when, in anger, he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and those selling animals for sacrifice (Matthew 21:12-13).

Anger Without Sin

Anger is simply an emotion that God gave us. We can experience anger without committing sin. God can use our righteous anger to drive us to improve conditions around us that do not honor him. Pure (sinless) anger can motivate us to act when other emotions cannot.

The problem is when we add other emotions or motivations into the mix. For example, when we add pride to anger, we are driven to verbally abuse an employee or coworker because their performance made us look bad. Adding jealousy to anger may cause us to lash out at someone else on our team that is getting more credit for their work than we are.

Of course, not all sinful anger is acted out by the tongue, but I think this is probably the most often used tool for expressing anger – especially in the workplace. The tongue can bring healing, but it can also cut and seriously injure those around us when not controlled (James 3:3-12). Unfortunately, it is not easily controlled!

Closed Loophole

Before you think you have found a loophole, I want to close it quickly. Whether you are using a smart phone, tablet, or a computer, your keyboard is also a tongue! Sometimes we kid ourselves and think that we can lash out with our texts, emails, or social media posts and that this is somehow different than using our tongue. Sorry, but that won’t fly.

We simply cannot allow our anger to drive us to sin. We are instead to be shining examples of mercy, forgiveness, and grace. We are Christ’s ambassadors in the marketplace and we cannot afford to dishonor His name. We CAN get angry if we will make sure that anger remains controlled and is directed at injustice or evil in a way that honors the God who gave it to us!

Avoid The Madness!

In a recent discussion on this very topic, a wise friend of mine described it in a way that makes it clear to me:

Don’t let madness come into play with your anger!”

In your free time, read through the following verses and see if you have any further thoughts on anger and how it affects you. Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Ephesians 4:26-32

Matthew 12:36-37

Ecclesiastes 7:9

Colossians 4:6

1 Thessalonians 5:11

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Is Your Plate Too Full Or Too Small?

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You have most likely heard the expression (and probably used it many times), “My plate is too full!” Maybe you used the “full plate” as an excuse to say no to someone recruiting leadership for your industry’s state association. Maybe it was something else. Either way, I think your perspective is off.

full plate

Not More Tasks!

First of all, this is not a post about taking on more tasks or duties than you can handle. I am not a proponent of over-scheduling and hoping for the best. That “full plate” behavior is probably one of the most detrimental to a sane quality of life. I promise I am not advocating that at all!

Instead, I want you to think back over the past several months or years. Do you remember any ideas, thoughts, or urges coming to mind that excited you, but as you looked at all you were already trying to do (with not enough success), you decided your plate was too full?

If you took the time to get away and really brainstorm some of these types of ideas, do you think you would come up with any that would just seem too big given your current circumstances? Maybe they would require too much time, energy, or resources?

Can’t See Adding To Full Plate?

Do your dreams sometimes get brushed aside because you are looking at a full plate and cannot see a way to add to it without something else falling off? If you have had these thoughts, then you are not alone. Fortunately, I think I know the problem (and solution!).

As you look over your “full plate” and see it crammed full of stuff (some of it is really good stuff!), you are likely doing some sort of math in your head and quickly determining that your time, energy, and resources (the size of your plate) will barely hold your commitments. Sometimes you even realize you are overdrawn!

Your Plate Is Too Small!

The problem is not that your plate is too full. The problem is that your plate is too small! You heard me, you simply have to get a bigger plate. If you could only snap your fingers and dramatically increase the size of your plate, then you could suddenly be able to handle more. Your dreams could be bigger and your accomplishments could multiply.

If your plate was bigger, your eternal impact could be greater!

See, I told you I knew what the problem was! Aren’t you glad I shared that with you? Now you can run right out and get a bigger plate, right? You might want to try Bed, Bath, and Beyond or even Home Depot or Sam’s Club. Don’t you think they would have them?

Okay, you are right. That is not going to help. So, what is the real problem? And what is the real solution?

You Are The Problem!

The problem is right there in the mirror. You are the problem. You are the problem because you are only considering your own time, energy, and resources when you determine the size of your plate. You have decided that your plate is effectively the same size as the sum of your time, energy, and resources.

That thinking falls short of the truth. Sure, you need to consider your own resources, but there are infinitely more resources available to you if you are just looking for them. And no, these resources cannot be purchased at the local big box retailer.

God Is The Solution!

The solution I am talking about is God. Quite simply, your full plate is too small because you are only considering your own resources and not including those of an all-knowing, all-powerful God.

Assuming your goals and desires are aligned with His will, then the solution to your problem is to begin enlisting God in your efforts. While that seems overly simple, it is the truth.

Instead of assessing a task, strategy, or dream based on your own ability to achieve it, begin asking God if it is what He wants you to do. Forget the fact that you feel like your plate is full. Trust Him to lead you in the direction He wants you to go and watch Him provide the necessary resources to accomplish it.

Allow God…

If you will begin allowing God to inspire your dreams and trusting Him to accomplish them THROUGH you, the size of your plate will grow exponentially! Of course, then you had better buckle up! The ride is about to get wilder than you can even imagine!

The real problem is with the size of our faith. Like I said in an earlier post about “practical atheism,” we don’t often back our talk of faith with a real walk in faith. Too often, we say we believe, but our actions suggest that belief is not strong enough to take us very far.

Reconsider Your Dreams

Take some time and think about your recent (and not-so-recent) dreams. Did you brush them off due to a full plate? If your plate suddenly tripled (or more) in size, would you reconsider those dreams? If so, start praying that God will build your faith in Him to the point where you can accept the plans He has for you!

Has your full plate kept you from following God’s leading?

Do you see how your full plate could simply be too small?

What would you do with a larger plate?

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Why Are We Surprised At Trials?

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Not too long ago, friends of mine went through an intense personal experience that completely shocked them. They were not expecting to ever have to deal with this particular issue, but there it was staring them in the face. As we talked about the issue and the possible outcomes, none very pretty, I thought about why we are surprised at the trials we face.

trials

Protected Life?

It’s is as though we think life should be smooth once we accept Christ. We look at the world outside of our faith and believe that “they” (non-believers) are unfortunate because they have to live in such a messed up world. On the other hand, we think we are immune to the problems associated with a fallen world.

Sure, when pressed, we will admit that we know God sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, but we really don’t think the worst will come to our door. We somehow believe we have a pass that keeps the big stuff away from us. Have you ever felt that way (even if you haven’t realized it)?

So, what is the truth?

There Is An Enemy!

The truth, as found in Scripture, is that there is an enemy. He is real and he passionately desires the destruction of anything and everything related to God. He does not work alone.

Just so you don’t take my word for it, take a look at the following Scriptures:

For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
Ephesians 6:12

However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
John 15:19

You will have suffering in this world.
John 16:33

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.
1 Peter 4:12

Truth Can Be Uncomfortable

For some of you, this is not comfortable to read. I get it. I am not comfortable writing it. Unfortunately, that does not change the truth. And if we continue to ignore this truth, we will continue to experience trials and challenges that shock us.

This is a big deal – not because of the surprise of the trials, but because we can do something about them in advance…if we are willing!

When it comes to trials in business, we can prepare with increased cash reserves and strategic emergency plans. When it comes to spiritual trials, the preparation is not much different – at least in theory.

Preparation For Trials

If we accept the existence of a spiritual enemy that is bent on our destruction, we can begin preparing our defenses as well as emergency plans. Ongoing prayer, Scripture memory and Bible study will build faith and wisdom reserves that will sustain us during the storms we will face.

Building relationships with fellow believers – both those that are ahead of us in their faith journey and those coming behind us – will create sources of wisdom, comfort, and prayer support that we will certainly need when the trials sweep over us.

We Must Face The Truth

The bottom line is that we cannot continue to ignore the fact that there is a war going on and we are on the battlefield. Under these conditions, there should be no shock when we are hit with the “fiery ordeal” mentioned above. Instead, because we have prepared, we should immediately execute our emergency plan.

Drawing on our own faith and wisdom reserves while seeking the guidance and support of fellow believers, we begin our difficult walk through whatever it is we are facing. At the same time, we should also “consider it pure joy” that we are facing these trials because we know that God is using them to make something tremendous out of us!

Have you ever been truly surprised at a significant trial?

Do you agree that we should actually expect trials in life?

How do you prepare for the trials you know you will face?

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The Success Edge – Marketplace Christian Podcast!

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In place of a post today, I am sharing a link (below) to my first Marketplace Christian podcast. Actually, I am just a guest on Tyler McCart’s podcast! Tyler has a website called The Success Edge where he uses interviews of people from all walks of life that also happen to be Christians in the marketplace. He sees his goal as helping Christians in the marketplace be inspired, be a light, and succeed! Here is his intro video:

Meeting Tyler McCart

Tyler and I met through LinkedIn and he invited me to be a guest on his podcast. Folks, I can tell you he was professional from the very start. I was very impressed with his preparation and the way the entire process went so smoothly. He is truly driven to excellence in what he is doing…and this is not even his full time job!

I encourage you to click over to his website (thesuccessedge.biz) and check out all of his interviews. I think you will be impressed with what you find! Here is a summary (from his site) of what you will find:

We look forward to bringing you podcast interviews from successful Christians in the marketplace as they share their business victories, failures, turning points, ah-ha moments, and more!

You will also find topical podcast episodes to help you grow in your Christian walk and career. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and as we say here at The Success Edge, we’ll catch you on the flip side!

Of course, I also would like for you to check out Episode 53 in which Tyler interviews me. Let me know what you think by commenting below! [CLICK HERE for podcast!]

We had a good time! I am sure you see immediately that he has a lot of energy and passion around what he does. Make sure to spread the word about what he is doing so more of us can learn from his efforts!

You can connect with Tyler here (click on each to connect):

Itunes Podcasts

Stitcher Radio

Facebook

Twitter

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Are You Afraid Of Loss?

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Recently I wrote a post in which (tongue in cheek) I called myself a practical atheist and challenged readers to ask themselves some tough questions. Good or bad, that post generated more controversial comments and discussion than any other I have published. In an effort to clarify my intent, and hopefully clear my name, I thought it would be good to do a follow up post on the intended subject of true faith and how fear of loss can affect it.

loss

Walk vs. Talk

Let’s start by reading from James 2. To get the full effect, you should read James 2:14-26, but in the interest of space, here is the core of what I want to discuss:

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2:14,16

In reading this entire passage, some people think that James is contradicting Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-9 when he says we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. Actually, James’ message does not contradict Paul’s, but complements it. James is simply adding that it takes deeds or actions to validate faith. In other words, like I said in my prior post, we can talk all we want to about faith, but the true test is in our actions.

Do They Match?

Do our actions bear out the faith we claim? If we profess to BELIEVE in an all-powerful God, then why do so many of our actions only reflect the confidence we have in ourselves or our team?

Why are we not taking bolder steps in our faith? Why do we not pray throughout the day and trust God’s wisdom to answer the challenges we encounter? Why do we pray quickly in the morning and then go out the door to face the day alone, hoping we have what it takes to overcome and emerge in victory?

Why is it so difficult for us to have those tough conversations with friends, family, or co-workers that we believe are living without a relationship with God? If we BELIEVE God is real and Jesus is truly the only path to Him, then why don’t our daily actions reflect this belief?

Why The Gap?

The more I think about this, the more I believe it comes down to one word: LOSS.

We fear loss.

Maybe it is loss of esteem among our friends, family, or co-workers. It could be loss of wealth or other gain due to being alienated for our beliefs. It might even be that we fear loss of our lives in certain circumstances.

As Christian business owners, we might fear loss of customers, revenue, or even the business itself. Regardless, I believe it is the fear of loss that drives most, if not all, of our actions.

What Does Scripture Say?

The problem with this is that this thinking is in direct opposition to what the Bible teaches us as Christians. We are told, very clearly, that God already owns it ALL (Psalm 50:10-12). We own nothing.

Did you get that? We own nothing therefore there is nothing for us to lose.

We do not even own our very lives…we are not our own; we are bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Why Fear Loss?

If all of this is true (and we SAY we BELIEVE it), then why the fear of loss? Why do we act like “practical” atheists while professing a belief in an amazing God? What will it take to shake us out of this pattern of behavior?

Maybe my last post did not hit the mark that I intended. I take responsibility for that. However, I encourage you on your own to read the Scripture listed below. There will not be much confusion in it! Then take a long look in the mirror and ask yourself two questions:

1.) Do I TRULY BELIEVE what I am reading?
2.) Is there clear, consistent evidence of this belief in my actions?

For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will reward each according to what he has done.
Matthew 16:27

And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother,[l] children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 19:29

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:12

Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58

You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:5

And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 19:29

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Confessions Of A Practical Atheist

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If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, then you probably have the impression that I am a Christian, a disciple of Jesus. You probably think that I believe in Jesus as the Son of God and that I see Him as all powerful, able to work miracles in any situation. Unfortunately, that is not completely true. In fact, I am a practical atheist.

atheist

Atheist Defined

For the sake of today’s discussion, I want us to define the word “atheist” as anyone who does not believe God exists. Based on this definition, I have determined that I am in fact a practical atheist. See if you can follow my logic here.

First of all, let’s look at this from the opposite perspective, that of a believer. If I was truly a believer, it would stand to reason that I would act differently than those around me. While my morality as a believer should be a main driver of my behavior, that is not what I am talking about today.

Faith Drives Behavior

What I want to focus on is true faith. If I was truly a believer and not an atheist, then I would truly believe in the power of God to overcome anything I could throw at Him. I would see Him as bigger than my problems and I would completely trust His promises to be the truth. My behavior, regardless of whether in the workplace, home, or in the community, would reflect this belief.

My faith in an all-powerful God would cause me to act in faith, taking risks where I felt He was leading me. I would not “play it safe”, but would be bold in my actions, especially those relating to what I knew to be His will.

Not only would I act in faith, but I would also pray in faith. A true believer in Jesus would surely pray to Him and call Him on His promise to give wisdom when asked. Regardless of the challenges faced in the workplace, home, or in social situations, a true believer would certainly trust the guidance of an all-powerful God rather than “going it alone,” right?

What About You?

You know we could go on, but let’s just pause right here. Are you getting the picture? Are you seeing some of your behaviors in this description? Do they fit with those of a believer or are they closer to what you might think would be those of an atheist?

Now that we have described the actions of a true believer, let’s contrast them with those of a practical atheist. To be clear, I am not really trying to characterize a full-blown atheist here. Instead, I am saying “practical atheist” because I want to focus on our behaviors that reflect a lack of faith in practical matters.

Practical Atheist

A practical atheist might be someone like you or me that professes our faith and talks about how much God has done for us. At the same time, if we look closely enough, it is unlikely we will see any history of taking huge risks for the kingdom.

A practical atheist talks about faith, but never really exercises it. Instead of huge risks or taking on extreme challenges that would only succeed with intervention from God, they are more likely to shy away from anything they cannot imagine achieving on their own. If they think they can do it, they will. If they think it would require a miracle, they pass.

Is This Familiar?

Is this you? Are you able to look back in your walk and see times when you took on a challenge or risk that could only be accomplished with help from God? If you can, then good for you! If not,…why not? Isn’t your God all-powerful and able to accomplish anything? Why aren’t you living like this is the truth?

Enough about risks and challenges. What about prayer? A practical atheist may believe there is a God, but there is little to no evidence of it in their prayer life. Sure, they may tell people they will pray for them. They may even do it, but you won’t find much faith in that prayer.

No Expectation Or Hope

Moving into the workplace, a practical atheist makes decisions on their own. Because they do not have true faith that God is there and will absolutely answer their prayers, they really don’t put much faith in them. Maybe they pray daily, but it is not done with expectation and hope in an answer.

At home, they wish things were different, but they only focus on what they themselves can change (or not) rather than going to God in earnest prayer for revelation and change. Instead of placing their burdens before an all-knowing God, they carry them around in worry. They hope for a day when they are big enough to overcome the challenges, but they ignore the promises of a God that already is.

I Am A Practical Atheist

A practical atheist lives and acts as if there is no God when it comes to the practical situations in life. In the interest of transparency, I believe I am one of these people. Sure, I believe in Jesus and have a relationship with Him. However, when I examine my life, I find very little evidence of a REAL faith in Who He is and what He can do.

I encourage you to look in the mirror and ask yourself some tough questions. Are you a practical atheist or are you acting with a faith that can move mountains? I am asking myself these very questions.

Are you guilty of atheist behavior?

Where do you need to exercise more faith?

How could your life look with behavior based on total faith?