He proceeded to tell me that he truly believed God had called me to make the changes I made. He agreed with my determination to persevere despite the tough conditions. But then he told me that he thought I was missing a key ingredient. He told me that it appeared I had stopped listening to God.

Stopped Listening?

At first, I stiffened. There was no way I had stopped listening! I was so sure he was wrong about this that I almost stopped listening to him!

Yet he pointed out examples of my refusal to listen to other godly people. He showed me how I was clearly taking God’s initial instructions and executing them, but at the same time I was not listening for further instructions. I was assuming God would never change my path.

Examples From Scripture

To make it easier for me to understand, he reminded me of a couple of examples from Scripture. First, he reminded me of the time Mary and Joseph had taken Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. This was clearly God’s will for them to do this. They had started on the right path. However, on the return trip, it took them several days before they realized He was not with them. Instead, He was still at the temple talking with the teachers (Luke 2:41-50).

The next example Julio gave was the story of Abraham and his son Isaac. After waiting for many years to have their own son, Abraham and Sarah were blessed with Isaac. When Isaac was a young boy, God told Abraham to take him to the top of the mountain and offer him as a burnt offering! Abraham proceeded to do as God told him. He took the right path.

However, at the very moment that he was about to slaughter Isaac, the Angel of the Lord stopped him. Though God had told Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, it turned out it was only a test of Abraham’s commitment to God (Genesis 22:1-19).

My Situation

Julio took these two examples and applied them to my situation. He explained again that he agreed that I was originally on the right path – that God had called me to do what I was doing. At the same time, he felt I was proceeding almost blindly in that original direction. It was possible, he said, that Jesus was no longer “with me on the trip” or that God had been trying to get my attention for a direction change. Either way, Julio showed me that I was not listening carefully enough to know it if either case were true.

I sat there absorbing his words. I wanted to argue, but I knew he was right. I was so set on carrying out my orders that I was not prepared for a change in direction. My journey had become more about my determination to be obedient than actually being in God’s will. I had turned it into an effort to prove my strength of resolve.

My Reaction

The first thing I did was to go to my Dad and apologize. I explained that I was not yet changing direction, but that I had recognized my stubbornness. I committed to him that I would be open to listening for God to speak, either directly to me or through the counsel of other wise and godly men.

Then I committed to a renewed attitude in prayer. I began praying that God would show me the right path. If I was still on the right path, I asked for strength to continue. If I had left the right path, I asked for guidance to get back to it. My posture in prayer effectively went from an aggressive three-point stance to prostrate and face-down. I was determined to listen to that still, small voice.

The Right Path!

The cool thing? I was still on the right path! I am more certain of that now, because I started listening. The more I listened, the more God confirmed that I was headed in the right direction. Although I knew it was God that started me on that path, I had clearly lost connection with Him and had taken over the wheel.

Thanks to Pastor Julio, I was back in the passenger seat and loving it! The struggle on the path did not go away immediately, but much of the stress did.

Has this ever happened to you?

Did you get back on the right path or are you still driving?

What are you going to do about it?

Photo by izustun / iStock

Focused On The Goal

Most business owners and leaders are in their positions due largely to their personality type. We are most often driven and ambitious to some degree. We like to push the envelope and often want to try out new ideas. We are not usually afraid of bucking the trend at least a little.

When we are applying these qualities to integrating our Christian faith into our businesses, we have the advantage. Often, the Christian walk is a difficult one, especially when done in the business world. So, our strong personalities serve us well and keep us focused on the goal.

Not The Right Path?

But what if we are not on the right path? What if we started on the right path, but God wants us to stop or change directions? Because of our ability to focus and eliminate distractions, we can miss Him speaking to us. In that case, we need a wake-up call.

A Friendly Introduction

Roughly twelve years ago, a friend introduced me to a preacher from New York named Julio. At the time, it had been a long, hard year since I had turned our business upside down as a result of God’s leading.

The path was the most difficult I had ever experienced and I was struggling. At the same time, I had a core-level commitment to continue regardless of the circumstances. I was laser-focused on seeing it through. I had no doubt I was on the right path.

However, I was so focused that I was not willing to listen to outside input. I knew what God had called me to do and I was going to do it. Truly, I was not concerned with the consequences as long as I accomplished what God wanted. While this can be a good mindset in some ways, in other ways it can be dangerous.

My Wake Up Call!

Enter Pastor Julio. He and I talked (more me, less him) for more than an hour about all that had transpired over the past 12 months. He listened intently and probed lightly to better understand what I was saying. At the end of the one-sided conversation, he asked if he could make an observation. I told him I was all ears!

He proceeded to tell me that he truly believed God had called me to make the changes I made. He agreed with my determination to persevere despite the tough conditions. But then he told me that he thought I was missing a key ingredient. He told me that it appeared I had…

To Be Continued…Tuesday!

Have you been in a similar situation?

What do you think Pastor Julio told me?

Based on what you have read so far, would you have any advice for me?

Photo by Smileus / iStock

College Test

I once read about a college student that was struggling in a particular class. The end of the semester was approaching and that meant he would have to do well on the final exam if he hoped to make the grade he needed.

In a surprising twist, the professor explained that she would allow a “cheat sheet” to be used when taking the final exam. The professor explained that she would allow them to include all of the information they could fit on one 8 1/2 x 11-inch sheet of paper. They could access this information during the test.

Confusing Behavior

When the day of the test arrived, the students were sharing the creative ways they crammed enormous amounts of information onto their sheets of paper. The struggling student did not participate. In fact, he sat quietly in his seat with a blank sheet of paper!

The other students could not understand why he had passed on the opportunity to fill his cheat sheet. They knew he was struggling in the class and would need all the help he could get.

Cheating Perfected

Finally the test was distributed and the class settled down. At this point, the struggling student went to the door of the class and opened it as if he was leaving. Instead, he motioned to whoever was standing out in the hall, inviting them in. Everyone instantly recognized the professor’s TA (Teaching Assistant) entering the classroom.

To the astonishment of the other students, and the professor, the struggling student then took out his blank sheet of paper and laid it on the floor. He again motioned to the TA and took his seat. As he did this, the TA walked over and stood on the blank sheet on the floor.

Surprise Strategy!

When the professor asked the student what was going on, he simply explained that he was exercising his right to access all of the information he could fit on a single sheet of paper. He planned to ask the TA for help with his test!

Of course, this caused a huge uproar among the other students! They cried out that he was cheating. They said, “That’s not fair!” Clearly, they thought the professor would stop this nonsense.

However, after considering her earlier instructions and noting that the TA indeed fit on the single sheet of paper, the professor granted the student permission to proceed with his plan!

Your Thoughts?

What are your thoughts at this point? Do you wish you had access to this same type of information as you face the various tests during your business day? Or do you think that simply would not work in the business world?

The truth is that we have this very access. Unfortunately, we often do not realize it or we forget about it. Even worse, at times we use it and then turn right around and ignore it during the next test!

God Has All The Answers!

God created business. He knows all there is to know about our particular business. He knows the applicants we are interviewing. He knows the future we will face and how we need to prepare for it. There is not a question we can ask that He cannot answer.

So why is it that we do not call Him into our tests? Why do we ignore Him as we struggle to pass tests that He could breeze through? What would possess us to continue facing tests without using every resource available to us?

Reasons?

If we are honest, some would say that they are not sure God really cares about our business. Yet I do not understand how He could feel that way when He goes as far as to count the number of hairs on our heads and even give every star a name. It seems to me God is concerned about every detail in His universe. That includes our business!

Others may admit they do not know how to ask Him these questions. Or maybe asking is not the problem, but discerning the answer gives them trouble. I struggle with this issue as well. Fortunately, the more we read and study His Word, pray, and seek Him, the clearer His voice becomes to us.

Draw Closer To Him

When I am closest to Him, I find it easier to know His answers to my questions. When I stray from Him, it is impossible for me to hear what He is saying. Funny, it is always my movement away, never His.

Regardless of your own reasons, I encourage you to give this a try. Start seeking Him on your every decision. Whenever you face a test, force yourself to remember to approach God for the answers. I promise you He is faithful to provide.

Have you tried to take tests on your own?

Why is it so easy to ignore God for answers?

How do you plan to change this?

Photo by Chalabala / iStock

To Honor God?

As I said, our company mission statement includes the phrase “to honor God” as the central goal of our company. It is this goal that drove me in the beginning of my journey to run the business for eternal impact. It is the desire to honor God in everything I do that was my drive for the longest time. Unfortunately, other goals have begun to distract me.

Before I go any further, take a look at his quote and think about it:

Quit competing and live to honor God. Both will result in our best. One will receive rewards in eternity and the other now.

Choose To Compete?

Do you get what he was saying? We can choose to compete rather than simply seeking to honor God in all we do. We can compete with other businesses. We can compete with our neighbors or our family members. Maybe you are competing with childhood friends or an old nemesis. Many compete with everyone, not satisfied unless they are the best in the world at a certain skill or measurement.

While competition can be a good motivator, we need to ask ourselves if it is the best one. We need to ask ourselves if competition brings out the best in us or not. Then we need to think about whether a better motivator could simply be the desire to honor God.

Different Approach

What if, before taking any action at all, you ask yourself if it is God-honoring? What if, when approaching a business strategy, you decided not to look at the competition to decide what to do? What if you decided instead to determine how to honor God through your strategy?

Clearly, God is not honored with mediocrity, right? So what would it look like if you made it your absolute goal to devise a business strategy that would honor God? It would have to be a strategy of excellence. Driven by this goal, you would not be able to accept less than the best, would you?

Difference Is Timing

Just as my friend said, whether competing or seeking to honor God, the result will be our best. The difference is in the timing and longevity of the rewards.

If our motivation is to compete with the best, then we will likely find reward in the marketplace. This reward will most likely be financial and will come sooner. However, if we choose to honor God as our motivation, then rewards will also come. They will just come in an eternity that never ends.

Maybe there are immediate financial rewards, maybe not. God does not promise that. However, He does promise to reward us in eternity (Matthew 16:27). He promises that our rewards will not fade or suffer loss (1 Peter 1:3-4). He cannot go back on His promises.

Lost Focus

I have often allowed the idea of competition to take my focus off of my goal to honor God. While there have been some positive results in some areas, the overriding result is usually one of frustration. In fact, that’s another result of competition…anything short of winning it all is disappointing, even depressing.

Of course, seeking to honor God will not always result in actually pleasing Him (you WILL miss the mark at times!). At the same time, the frustration is not nearly as debilitating when we miss this goal. There are satisfaction and joy that remain, even in failure to hit this mark.

So which way will you go?

Are you guilty of competing?

Which rewards would you prefer?

How will you honor God?

Photo by peshkov / iStock

Proverbs 31 Advice

Normally, this passage is taught from the perspective of the wife/mother. In this and my next post, I want to see what it has to say to the husbands and fathers (and maybe a little application in business!). I hope you are willing to give me a little freedom to do this. I promise to return to Christian business after this.

Hopefully, you have read Proverbs 31 before (if not, go now and do so!) and you recognize it as the description of the “perfect” wife and mother. Of course, some people or even organizations these days might argue that it is a sexist or chauvinistic depiction, but I happen to think it is an incredibly insightful illustration of the variety of skills and responsibilities possessed by wives and mothers today.

For Husbands And Fathers?

Assuming you agree, what does it say to the rest of us? What specifically does it say to husbands and fathers? What part should we play in conjunction with a Proverbs 31 woman? Well, I think Proverbs 31 has some specific instructions that are directed at us husbands and fathers.

While Proverbs 31 is not at all an exhaustive set of instructions for us husbands and fathers, I do believe there are a few points of wisdom we can take from it. In fact, I found four (4) pieces of advice I think we would be wise to heed. Let’s take a look and see if you agree.

His Heart Trusts Her

The heart of her husband trusts in her,…
Proverbs 31:11

When taught from the perspective of the wife or mother, verse 11 teaches that she is to be trustworthy. For our purposes today, I want to turn that around and use it for advice to husbands and fathers. As a result, I think we are being told that we are to trust in our wives.

Wow, that sounds simple. Maybe so, but are you doing it? Are you really trusting her? Do you second-guess her in situations where you think you should be in control? Do you trust her opinion or intuition when it comes to people you work with or partners you take on?

Healthy Trust

Guys, I am not talking about blind trust here. I am talking about a healthy relationship where she has proven trustworthy (as have you), but you and I still fail to trust in her. Why is that? Do we think we are less of a man if we trust in her in areas where we are unsure?

I don’t have the time or space here to list all of the examples where this advice applies, but I think you get the idea. In fact, I believe that if you have read Proverbs 31 and will pray for insight into how this verse applies to you, God is faithful to show you how it applies to you specifically.

I think He can also show you where you could apply this at work. Maybe there are some people that have shown themselves trustworthy over time, but you are still clinging to control or withholding your trust from them for one reason or another. Maybe if you extended them trust, you might just see them blossom! Pray and let Him show you.

He Is Known At The City Gates

Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land.
Proverbs 31:23

In the days when this was originally written, the respected men of a town would gather at the city gates. There they would share wisdom, make decisions regarding the welfare, business, safety, etc. of the town. To be “known at the city gates” means you are respected and an honorable citizen of the town.

This verse goes a little further than saying the husband is known there. In this verse, he actually “sits among the elders.” This means that the husband is actually one of the most respected men in town. He is trusted to participate in the group of elders as a peer, someone who is part of the leadership of the town.

Not Political!

For us husbands and fathers, I do not believe this means we are all to run for political office. However, I do believe we are to be among the most respected in our communities. Our wives need to know that we will consistently behave in such a way as to earn this respect.

Whether we are business owners, in leadership positions in business, or in some other way involved in the community, we are to act in such a way as to earn the respect of those in our community. We are to do this over a period of years, not just for a season.

This is because this respect is not something that comes quickly. Instead, it is something that we earn over time. It is something that comes from years of making solid Biblical decisions, regardless of the cost to us or our businesses. If our wives know this about us, don’t you think it will be easier for them to follow our lead when we need them to the most?

What about our employees or those team members we work with? Do you think it is easier for them to follow us and trust our lead when they know we have acted in such a way over years so as to earn the respect of the community? I think this advice can benefit us in many settings!

To Be Continued…

That is all the space I have today. Join me for the next post as I give you the last two pieces of advice from Proverbs 31. If you are really interested, maybe you can read ahead in Proverbs 31 and see if you see the same advice I see!

Are either of these points on target with you?

Where do you struggle with this advice?

What action step(s) do you need to take?

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Sermon On The Mount

Well, we are not going to focus on these people today, but I do want to focus on the idea of standing out from the crowd. In my last post, I talked about this passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:

“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may show yourselves to be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?
Matthew 5:43-47

We Are To Stand Out

I went on to point out how this passage leads us to the conclusion that Jesus wants to see us stand out from the crowd. He does not want us to look like everyone else when it comes to our actions.

Not only is this true in our personal lives, but it should also be true in our businesses and careers. If we are Christians in the marketplace, then our business actions and decisions should not blend in with those of the world around us. We should stand out from the crowd in the way we operate our businesses and perform our jobs.

Why Stand Out?

The question we did not cover in that last post is WHY He wants us to do this.

Unlike our friends that dress differently for the attention or spotlight, we have another purpose for standing out in this world. So that you are not simply taking my word on this, I want to refer to some Scriptures to make my case.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
1 Peter 3:15

Point Others To God

Folks, our purpose for being here on earth, for even existing, is to point others toward God. We are here for the purpose of bringing Him glory. This can happen through our behaviors, actions, and decisions. We can bring Him glory with our relationships and with our careers.

We CANNOT bring Him glory if we blend in and look like the world around us. We must stand out, causing others to see us and wonder why it is we stand out. When this happens, they will likely ask us why we are behaving like this. When they do, it is our opportunity to give them the reason for the hope we have!

Requires Faith

Keep in mind, I understand that what I am proposing is not easy. It requires faith that God will take care of us and that we will not suffer harm as a result.

There will be times that the choice between blending in and standing out can be scary. The temptation will be to play it safe and blend in. All I can say is that this kind of behavior is short-term thinking.

God is real and He will honor the one that is fully committed to him (2 Chronicles 16:9). He is not going to leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6,8). He will make your cause shine (Psalm 37:6).

Do You Believe?

He is calling us to stand out. If we will do it, He will get the glory and we will one day be rewarded. If we shy away and instead blend in, we will miss the opportunity to see Him act. If we do this, where is our faith? Do we really believe what we say we believe?

Have You Stopped To Think?

Much of what Jesus teaches is contrary to what the world teaches. What I want to look at today is not revolutionary at all. At the same time, I wonder how many of us have stopped to think about how we apply this aspect of Jesus’ teachings to our businesses or jobs. Maybe today’s post will help you do just that!

To start, let’s take a look at the Scripture that I want us to consider.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may show yourselves to be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?
Matthew 5:43-47

Focus on the Spirit of The Passage

When you first read this passage, you were probably focused on what Jesus was telling us to do. Commands like “love your enemies” and “pray for those who persecute you” stand out because they are hard to live out. In fact, many of us feel like these are asking too much from us. I know I have felt this way.

While these are certainly good points to ponder, I want to step back a little. Rather than focusing on the specific commands, I want to look at the spirit of the passage, the intent. While I am not trying to minimize the commands, I think there is another idea here that might be useful to apply to our jobs and businesses.

Examples

Look back at the passage and read it again. Note the following phrases…

…show yourselves to be sons of your Father…Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?…what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?

Pay Attention To The Patterns

Typically, when we see patterns of repetition like this in Scripture, we need to pay close attention. Repetition is often used to communicate a specific point, one that we need to heed.

In this case, the point I see is that we are to stand out. Beyond the specific commands to love and pray for our enemies, I think the bigger message is that as disciples of Jesus, we are to stand out from the world. It is not enough for us to do good things that others in the world do. We must go beyond and stand out!

Does Your Business Stand Out?

Let’s take a moment and think about this idea in the context of our business. Does our business stand out from those around us? Do we stand out from our colleagues in the way we handle customers – especially those difficult ones that no one wants to engage?

Do our working conditions stand out from other businesses? Do our benefits stand out? Is there a marked difference between the employee satisfaction in our business or team versus that of other companies around us? Do we smile more, have more fun, rise above hardship with more peace, etc. than those around us?

If not, why not? How hard is it to smile as much as everyone else? How hard is it to provide the same benefits and working conditions as everyone else provides? Is it really that tough to be just as good, nice, patient, etc. as those without Jesus?

Stop And Think

I encourage you to think about all of these questions. Think about them and apply them to your current situation, whether you are a business owner, leader, or employee. How can you stand out?

In addition, I want you to think about WHY Jesus calls us to stand out. What is His purpose in asking us to stand out and how should that purpose impact our actions? We will look at this in my next post.

How well does your business stand out?

What can you do to stand out more?

What are the downsides to this approach?

Photo by JeremyRichards / iStock

Of course, even if we understand this and make every effort to live it out, it is easy sometimes to drift. An example of this occurs when we get to the point where we are out of touch with our employees or team members. It doesn’t have to be intentional to happen. Business can come at us at light speed and it is easy to return our focus to the urgent rather than the important.

It Can Happen To Anyone

You really don’t even have to forget this truth to get into trouble here. It may be very clear to you that your team is the most important aspect of your company or department mission. The problem simply may be your circumstances for a season.

When this happens, regardless of the reasons or intent, unrest is often quick to appear. Depending on the culture you have built over time, this unrest may not be a huge factor. A stronger culture can handle a season like this. A weaker culture, however, could quickly deteriorate.

Do Your Employees Say This?

In an effort to encourage you to take a look at this issue before it becomes a problem, I have compiled a list of five things your employees (or coworkers) may be saying about you. I hope you will take the time to assess your current situation and determine corrective action if necessary. I know I am!

1.) “All he seems to care about is _____.”

What is it that you talk about all the time? What do you spend the majority of your time focused on? What upsets you the quickest? The answers to these questions may give you a clue to what your employees think is most important to you.

If the answers you gave relate more to business metrics or results than to the people producing them, then you may be out of balance. Sure the metrics are important, but the people producing them are more so.

Check yourself and see if maybe you have forgotten about the individuals on your team. Begin thinking about and focusing on how to engage them and their passions and you might find out that the metrics take care of themselves.

2.) “He doesn’t know what I go through.”

This is a tough one for most because it is true. You and I do not really KNOW what it is that others are going through. However, that does not mean we cannot attempt to learn and understand it.

Intentionally making yourself available to have seemingly random conversations with your team members about what they are experiencing – at work AND outside of work – can give you incredible insights into their needs and desires.

Just showing an ounce of understanding will give you the connection with them that both of you need. This is the stuff that relationships are built on, leading to opportunities to influence them for eternal impact!

3.) “He’s too busy to talk to me.”

For some crazy reason, we have been taught to believe that moving quickly and with purpose will convince those around us that we are getting things done. We think they will see our hustle and be in awe!

I am sorry, but that is hogwash. People are not enamored with leaders that rush around all the time. People want and need connections. That is simply not possible if we are always moving so quickly that we are not approachable.

Some of you are thinking that you can’t help it – you are that busy!

If so, there is a problem.

Maybe this is true in extreme situations and for short seasons. For all other times, it simply shows you are not building enough margin into your schedule. Take a couple of responsibilities off of your plate and create margin for yourself and those around you.

4.) “He would be mad if I asked for help with ____.”

There could be multiple reasons for this statement. Maybe you have a problem with #3 above and they don’t want to try to slow you down. Maybe you are impatient and they feel they would frustrate you by asking for help. It could even be something they should already know but were not properly trained to do.

Whatever the reason, they likely see you as somewhat of an expert and would love to be coached by you in one way or another. For you to give the impression that you are not available for help like this only eliminates another opportunity to influence someone.

Work at making yourself more approachable and available. Even in small increments, you may be surprised at the impact that comes out of it! Try it and see!

5.) “He doesn’t care about me.”

Assuming you are a Christian in business with an eternal perspective, this could be the worst of the five. Unlike #1, this statement reflects how they think you feel about them as an individual. This is personal to them.

There are many ways you could cause them to feel this way. In fact, this could be an accumulation of the four issues listed above. Whatever the case, you need to recognize (1) that this can happen and (2) that it is critical for you to address.

The first step – actually care about them! Make sure you are praying for them daily. Pray that God would reveal to you ways you can show them that you care. Think about them as individuals more than you do now.

The amazing thing – they will begin to realize the truth that you DO care about them if you will just start doing it! Be intentional. And get honest feedback about your progress from those you trust the most.

Have you ever been one of the employees making these statements?

Do you think you are guilty of any of these?

What are you going to do next?

Photo by Rawpixel / iStock

Jesus Had Ultimate Power

Think about it. As a kid, I knew that Jesus was the Son of God. While I could not easily explain the Trinity, I simply accepted that Jesus was God and man at the same time. Some things that adults have a hard time understanding are just accepted as fact by kids. This was one of those ideas.

Knowing that Jesus was also God at the same time, I knew He had total power to do anything. Stronger than Superman and faster than Flash, Jesus had the ultimate power. There was simply nothing He could not do if He wanted to.

Could Jesus Use His Power?

Because I believed this, I had a REALLY hard time with the question mentioned above. I could not understand why He didn’t use His power more. I mean, I knew He worked miracles. He walked on water, turned water into wine, and raised Lazarus from the dead.

It’s not like He could not use his power at all. Clearly, God did not tell Jesus to hide His power. So if that is the case, why didn’t he use it more often? As a kid, I could think of SO many different ways He could have used it!

Various Examples

He could have used His power to defeat playground bullies. He could have won every arm wrestling match he ever faced. He could have even won the Fastest Runner award every year in school!

As an adult, Jesus did not have to be a lowly carpenter. He could have been a very successful business owner. He could have risen to the top of the political structure of the time. He could have even defeated the Roman army single-handedly and taken over the world!

As a kid with a great imagination, I could come up with endless ways Jesus could have used His power. And every year when Easter came around, this question burned even deeper. Why didn’t Jesus use His power to escape the cross?

Jesus Had An Eternal Perspective

Now, looking back, I see how silly my question was. What seemed so elusive at the time is an answer that is all too obvious now. I am sure it is just as obvious to you as well, but I think it is worth reviewing.

Jesus had an eternal perspective. He came from heaven to earth for a short time and with very specific purposes. Jesus knew before He came that He would return to heaven. He knew that anything material He gained on earth would be left behind upon His return to His throne.

His Purpose Was Bigger

Jesus didn’t overuse His power to win fights or contests because that did not align with His purpose. He didn’t seek business wealth and success because He knew it was fleeting. He knew it was worthless in eternity and promised little comfort during His tenure on earth.

Jesus avoided political and military entanglements because His perspective was even bigger than they could ever be. And most of all, He submitted to the cross because the lives of those He would save as a result were infinitely more valuable than the value of His additional time on earth.

Ridiculous Question

Folks, the question I struggled with as a kid is almost ridiculous when I look back at it. I almost laugh at myself until I come to another realization and want to cry.

See, if this question is so ridiculous to me now, if the answer is so obvious, then why am I still living as if this life on earth is more valuable than the eternity I face after this life?

Do you understand the problem?

I begin to laugh at my limited understanding as a kid until I realize I am still living as if I have that same limited understanding now!

I Am Humbled

When I look at all of the ways I continue to seek my own personal gain today, at the expense of eternal gain, I want to cry. Maybe you are different, but I am almost embarrassed to put these thoughts our here on the blog…and would not, except for the hope that someone else will gain from my weakness and transparency.

The bottom line is that my original question IS ridiculous. The answer IS obvious AND the same purposes that motivated Jesus to act as He did should motivate us today.

We should be exchanging what this short-term world has to offer for the eternal reward that Jesus offers us. We should be sacrificing our comfort today for the promise of the future in heaven.

Some of you are doing this very thing. Some of you are nodding your head right now and maybe even pumping your fist in agreement! At the same time, others of us are silently considering our own lack of commitment.

It’s Not Too Late!

For those of us in this uncomfortable position, the exciting news is that the story is not over. It is not too late! God is faithful AND forgiving. He is full of mercy and grace. He is standing ready to embrace our full focus and lead us to much greater eternal results.

I encourage you not to quit. Don’t give up simply because you feel you have failed in one area or another (or in multiple areas!). Hit your knees, ask for renewed strength, and trust God to lead you. He will never leave you or forsake you!

Do you understand the answer to this question?

Are you living out your understanding?

What needs to change?

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Ambassadors For Christ

In my first post on ambassadors, I shared with you the verse from 2 Corinthians 5:20. Here it is again for reference:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
2 Corinthians 5:20

After sharing this verse, we went on to look at the ways in which the responsibilities of a political ambassador parallels the responsibilities we have today as ambassadors for Christ. In my next post, I shared what I believe are the most critical points in understanding our jobs as ambassadors for Christ.

I won’t go back into the details from those posts now, but I will encourage you to read them before moving on. It will help you understand the context for this post. For today, I want to look specifically at the workplace location for political ambassadors and illustrate how it relates to our roles today.

Ambassadors’ Workplace?

I understand that most of have not studied the job of political ambassadors. That’s fine. You don’t need to know the intricate details of how they work and exactly what they do to understand their overall role and how it impacts us.

Since we have covered the major functions of the ambassador role in my previous two posts, let’s now turn and look at the workplace of the ambassador. If you had to guess, based only on the knowledge you currently have about an ambassador, where would you think they perform most of their work duties?

If you were to guess that an ambassador’s work takes place at the embassy, you would be wrong. Sure, that is where their office is located. In fact, their staff is located there as well. But the majority of their work – building relationships with the native people and representing the desires of his king – is done outside of the embassy.

Active And Intentional

See, the ambassador serves in an active and intentional role. He is not assigned to a certain foreign land and asked to sit idly and wait until he is called upon when needed. He is actively seeking to build relationships outside of the embassy.

He is likely meeting in government offices throughout the foreign land. He is probably eating many meals with various representatives in that land. There are probably many impromptu conversations between the ambassador and people of influence in that land. He is also likely attending many functions of various sizes for all sorts of organizations.

Role Of Embassy?

The entire time he is doing all of this, his focused purpose is to represent his “king” and influence the people he meets in the direction of his “king”. At no point does the ambassador have the luxury of waiting for someone to call on him.

Regarding the embassy, there are certainly times that he performs work there. He is probably communicating with his king when he is there. He is planning strategy for influencing the people of the foreign land when he is at the embassy. And of course, there are times he invites to the embassy some of the people he is attempting to influence.

Church = Embassy?

Now, let’s take the same set of lenses and focus them on our roles as ambassadors for Christ. For the sake of this discussion, let’s substitute the church building in the place of the embassy. While it is not a perfect analogy, I think there are enough parallels for you to see the point.

First, as ambassadors for Christ, we are to be active and intentional. We are not called to sit and wait until someone comes to us and asks us about our King Jesus. We are instead to be actively seeking to build relationships with the lost that are OUTSIDE of the church (embassy).

Wherever We Go!

Just like the political ambassadors, we are to be meeting people wherever our lives take us – workplace, community, home – and influencing them toward the desires of our King. We can do this in our office or out in the field. We can do this at the soccer field or at the theater. This can and should be happening in our homes.

The key is that wherever we go and whatever we are doing, our focused purpose is to represent Jesus and point others toward Him. We cannot ever allow ourselves to relax and simply wait for others to come to us and ask. That is not the job of an ambassador.

Church Building Has A Role

As for the church building, it plays a role as well. We should go there to communicate with our King in the faith community. We should go there to learn about our King so we can better represent Him and His desires as we leave to go out into the community. We will also learn and develop our strategies there.

We are even going to make the effort to invite people we meet to come and visit our church. I do not want to minimize this part at all, but I DO want to emphasize that this is not our end goal. Nor should it be part of our strategy to just invite them and hope they catch what we have.

Go Make Disciples!

Our job is much more involved than that. Our job is to make disciples, not just to add to the church membership. This requires our full attention AS we go about our lives in this foreign land. It is our purpose for being in this foreign land. It cannot be overstated.

Do you do most of your work at the “embassy” or in the field?

What part of the ambassador’s work do you struggle with?

What action do you need to take?

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