Tools for Growth 01-12-16 (part I)

Have you ever seen the Walt Disney story about Dumbo, a young circus elephant who was born with unusually enormous ears? Because he was different, he was treated as a freak by all the other elephants. Except for Dumbo’s loving and protective mother, all the elephants made fun of him.

Poor Dumbo. He could hardly walk without tripping over his ears, and he found himself in all kinds of trouble because of them. Oh how he wished he’d never been cursed with those big floppy ears!

Then a small circus mouse, named Timothy, felt sorry for Dumbo and made friends with him. Timothy encouraged Dumbo to ignore the criticism and instead see himself as someone special. But things just seemed to go from bad to worse.

And then comes one particular scene. A turning point for Dumbo. He wakes up one morning to find himself and Timothy nestled high up in the branches of a tree. They can’t figure out how in the world they got up there. After all, elephants can’t climb trees!

Suddenly the moment of revelation strikes. The light bulb flashes on. Timothy cries out, “Dumbo!  You must’ve flown up into the tree! Dumbo! You can fly!”

It is the next statement from this little cartoon rodent that is so incredibly profound. He looks at his perplexed elephant friend and says, “The very things that held you down are going to carry you up and up and up!”

What a powerful perspective! “The very things that held you down are going to carry you up!” What brings Dumbo success in the end, what makes him the big star of the circus, the famous flying elephant, is not a change in his situation. He still has the big, drooping ears. What changes is his perspective. Now he sees his potential. His handicap turns out to be his best friend. His deformity hasn’t changed; he changed. Instead of seeing his difference as a curse, he begins to see it as a blessing. His paradigm has radically shifted.

And that transforms his life. The very things that held him down are now carrying him up! You see, life is really all about perspective. It’s what you think about what you’re experiencing that makes so much difference. You may not be able to change your situation, but you can choose your response to it. It’s what you do with what you have that helps shape your outcome.

Isn’t that what the four soils in our story tell us? The difference between the good soil and the other three isn’t the external circumstances. The seed in the good soil experienced the same hot sun, the same birds flying overhead, weeds popping up there, too. But what made the difference in the end was the depth of the soil, the amount of cultivation taking place, the working and tilling and fertilizing and weeding done to this soil, the soil allowing the farmer to do what he does best. The result was an abundant harvest symbolic of a life of fruitfulness, productivity and satisfaction.

Aids to Growth 01-11-15

Given everything that is happening in the field in this story, what would you say is the farmer’s ultimate desire? Is it to bring harm to the seeds and seedlings? Does he simply not care what happens to them and leave everything to chance? Does he merely do his planting and then walk away hoping things will take care of themselves? No, the whole point of farming is to produce a harvest in the end, to bring seeds into full and mature growth, to be productive.

“Some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted.” (Matthew 13:8) The purpose of planting is harvesting, and in this case, the harvest far outpaces the planting. Here is a picture of abundance, complete fulfillment and satisfaction beyond anticipation. This is what the farmer wants above all. It is why he farms. It is his ultimate dream. The fact that Jesus identifies Himself as the farmer is significant. In other words, Jesus’ whole purpose is to bring productivity, fulfillment, significance, abundance to life. In fact, he says precisely that in another place: “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” (John 10:10)

There’s a significant dynamic being suggested in that statement. While acknowledging the reality of evil and its purpose of destroying and diminishing life, Jesus says His goal, in contrast, is to give life in its fullness. So Jesus is saying that He has the ability to take evil being perpetrated against us (whether from external or internal sources or spiritual dark forces all around us) and redeem in some way to produce something good and life-enhancing for us. In other words, this Farmer can take that little seed, and in spite of the hot sun or the choking weeds, nurture it, take care of it, and ultimately bring it to maturity and fulfillment.

In the second story in Matthew 13, the one about the enemy planting weeds in the field of wheat, when the farmer was confronted with this terrible reality, he had a strategy, a plan for what to do about it. After the servants informed him, they asked anxiously, “Shall we pull out the weeds?” His response: “No, you’ll hurt the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds and burn them and to put the wheat in the barn.” (Matthew 13:28-30)

The farmer knew exactly what to do to make sure a good harvest happened, in spite of the evil design of the enemy. Jesus’ point is that God has the redemptive power to produce good even in the midst of evil. He cares about what happens to us. He doesn’t want to see us hurt unnecessarily. He wants to see us grow and mature and become productive. So He applies His wisdom to the process to achieve that end, no matter what the obstacles.

Here’s the length He will go to accomplish that redemptive end. The very next story following the earlier purpose statement by Jesus (John 10:10), is about Lazarus, Jesus’ best friend (John 11). Lazarus becomes deathly ill and soon dies. Jesus goes to his tomb and asks for the stone to be rolled away, opening up the death chamber. People object saying that the stench will be too terrible (not to mention the act of desecrating the dead). Besides, what’s the point; the man’s already dead. No hope!

But Jesus says to Lazarus’ objecting sister, “Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?” (John 11:40) Apparently, Jesus sees the situation from a different perspective. He knows that difficulty and evil can be redeemed by God no matter how dark or imposing or impossible they appear.

The stone is rolled away. Jesus shouts, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus emerges, alive and well (John 11:43-44). Jesus’ statement about God’s glory is profound. God’s glory is revealed by being able to take the most imposing, impossible and evil situation and redeeming it for good, bringing abundant life instead.

The Farmer is all about growth and productivity, fulfillment and abundance. And He pledges His resources to making sure the harvest happens no matter what the opposition.                                      

Obstacles to Spiritual Growth (01-08-15)

The noted psychiatrist Scott Peck, in his best-selling book The Road Less Traveled, begins his tome on the reality of life with these profound words, “Life is difficult.” Some of us would say that that is the understatement of the year. But nonetheless it’s certainly true, isn’t it? Life is difficult. Living isn’t always easy. We’re constantly faced with the challenges that come from crisis and its companions, pain and suffering. Storms do come whether we want them to or not. It’s a reality of human life.

Jesus’ story describes the sun as that external force that can either bring healthy growth to the seedling or withering death. The sun will always be a factor. Trying to hide from the sun isn’t an option. The plant needs the sun for growth. So what is it that determines which outcome the seedling will experience? Root depth.

Jesus’ story also describes the weeds as the internal force (within the soil) that has the potential of choking out the life of the seedling. Weeds grow; another fact of agriculture. So what is it that determines the outcome for the tender plant? Weeding; dealing proactively with that which has the potential of choking out life.

The same is true for human life. There are both external factors and internal forces that threaten our equilibrium and balance. We can’t escape this reality. A drunk driver smashes into our friend’s vehicle and kills him. We have no control over that external threat. How we deal with that tragic loss depends much upon the inner strength of our lives, the depth of our hearts and minds, the anchor points we’ve pulled into our lives through the years. Some people cave in with such grief and sorrow. Others, though deeply grieved and sorrowing, not only survive the loss but continue on flourishing and living productive lives.

Sometimes the threat or storm comes because of our own internal issues or choices we make ourselves. Someone chooses to be unfaithful to his wife. His marriage fails, his kids become estranged from him, he loses his job, his self-respect, and the effects go on.  The question is, how you handle all those losses depends much upon the depth of your life and the inner strength of your character. Do you cave in under all the pressures and simply give up on life, letting guilt and shame spiral you down to destruction? Or do you look at your internal issues and choose to proactively deal with them so you can learn and grow and move on in healthy ways that result in productivity?

The first point is that storms come – simple as that. As long as we are human, we will experience both external and internal storms – storms of others’ making that impact us, and storms of our own making that threaten us. The second point is this: notice, in both cases the appearance of those forces reveal the depth of the soil and the strength of the plant. Jesus is clear that one of the positive outcomes of crisis is that it is like a thermometer measuring the temperature of our souls and hearts. It reveals to us how much we need to do to become healthier, what issues we need to address to flourish. It’s like a mirror that suddenly gets held up in front of us and we see ourselves as we really are.

That’s why the Chinese character for crisis is a combination of the symbols for “danger” and “opportunity.” Which side we fall upon determines the end result – we either get swallowed up by the danger or we grow by the opportunity. It’s our choice when side-swiped by crisis.

This is probably what the biblical author Paul had in mind when, in commenting about how people deal with life said, “For we know that all things work together for good.“ (Romans 8:28) Is he saying that no matter how bad or painful or evil a given situation is it’s good for us? Certainly not! He’s describing this human reality of crisis – within every crisis and storm there is the potential of “good” emerging based upon how we choose to respond to and deal with it.

“Through conflict the spiritual life is strengthened. Trials well borne will develop steadfastness of character and precious spiritual graces. The perfect fruit of faith, meekness, and love often matures best amid storm clouds and darkness.” (White 1941, p. 61.)

But lest we get discouraged by our inability to deal proactively with crisis, in that verse Paul is actually commenting on God’s power to bring good from everything. In other words, God has chosen to make Himself that Resource which can empower us to posses the inner strength to deal proactively with every situation, good or bad, in our lives – so that the end result is greater fulfillment and healthy growth. That’s the divine miracle of redemption inherent in the storms of life. So one of the significant issues in dealing with storms is what kind of use are you making of God’s inner resources in coping and dealing with your crises?

What to Do When Life Doesn’t Turn Out Like You Planned 02-07-15

It happens at some point in all of our lives. Something unexpected happens. It’s nothing you planned on. Things are no longer the same, and what once felt solid is no more. Life has thrown us a curve ball. It might be the divorce of our parents. It could be something at school. Whatever it is, sometimes its hard to know what to do.

So what do you do when life throws you something unexpected? What do you do when it feels like your family is falling a part around you? Where do you turn when it feels like there is nothing left for you to do? Here’s a few things I learned when going through a really hard time in life a few years ago.

1. Don’t let your relationship with God fall between the cracks. It can be really easy to want to let this happen. You might not understand why this is happening to you. It can be easy in times like these to let go of your relationship with God. You might want to blame God, or just not feel close to him in tough times. The thing to remember is that God is not the source of the bad things that happen to you. Don’t let a rough time in life steal your relationship with God.

Your relationship with God is what will get you through the tough times. It can be your foundation when it feels like the world is falling apart around you. Choose to stay close to God and rely on Him in tough times.

2. Don’t Take It Out On Others. It can be easy when you feel upset to want to take it out on other people. Maybe you are hurt and angry and want to yell at everyone who talks to you. However, taking it out on other people is never the answer. You will ultimately drive people who love you and care about you away if you begin to take it out on them. These people can be your support when times are tough.

3. Learn from it. As much as life’s tough times stink, you can use tough times to learn. You may be able to help out someone in the future who is going through what you are facing. You can be an encouragement to others who are going through tough times by learning from those tough times.

Tough times also show you a lot about yourself. You may find that you don’t have the character you thought you did because you came unglued in a tough time. You may learn that you have some areas in your life that you need to work on. Tough times are a good indicator of character.

4. Look up. When life doesn’t go the way you wanted, know that you can look up. Jesus is your answer to life’s problems. He understands what you’re going through completely. He can be your anchor in the midst of life’s storms.

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. – Hebrews 4:15 (NLT)

When life doesn’t go the way you wanted it to, its never easy. The good thing to remember is that you’re not alone. You’ve got Jesus on your side. Don’t forget to lean on him in tough times and in good times!

Running on Empty – Learning to Lean on God’s Help 01-06-16

Have you ever run out of gas when driving? You were driving down the road just fine, and then all of the sudden, your car doesn’t want to go anymore. It sputters, slows down, and finally rolls to a stop. You realize, you’re not going any farther. You’ve run out of gas.

Its easy in life to feel like you’re out of gas. There are so many things asking for our attention. We have jobs, church, school, homework, maybe even babysitting your little brother and at times it just seems overwhelming. Sometimes it feels like you can’t go on. Its sort of like you just ran out of gas in life.

The Bible speaks to this in Matthew 11:28-30 in the Message Translation:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Jesus said that when we’re tired, worn out that we can come to Him. We can learn to not take the stresses, cares, and worries of life on us, but rather learn to lean on Jesus. He’s the one that can show us ways to de-stress our lives. Lots of times all we need is a little God perspective on the situation.

So when you’re stressed out and feeling like you’re running on empty, remember you’re not alone. You’ve got Jesus ready to help you out all you have to do is ask Him for it.

When you’re stressed out, remember to lean on Jesus. He’s got a way to help you out. – @studentdevos

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Pray: Jesus, I thank you that you’re here to help me in every stressful situation that I face. I choose to look to you for help when I’m running on empty. I believe that you’re showing me the steps to take or changes I may need to make to de-stress my life. I ask for your help with all I’m facing this week, and know that with your help I can make it. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

What Math Homework Can Teach You About Leadership 01-05-15

For me, math homework has always been a drag. If I could put off doing it, I would. There is not much that is less fun than doing math homework. However, math homework can teach us some great stuff about leadership.

1. Math homework stinks. It’s hard work and to do well in math, you’ve got to study hard. That’s a lot like how leadership is. Leadership requires you to study to be a good leader. Good leadership skills don’t develop overnight. It takes study and hard work to become a good leader.

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” -John F. Kennedy

2. Math formulas can help you out. Whether you use the quadratic equation or cosine you can use the predefined formulas to reach the answer you need. In the same way, there are tons of leadership experts who can help provide you with proven formulas for success. Ask around or do a google search there’s lots of answers to your leadership questions.

3. Just get started. If you don’t start on your homework, you will never finish. The same is true with growing in your leadership skills. You need to get started somewhere. It might be asking your youth group leader to plug you into a leadership position at youth group, or you could look for opportunities to lead at school. Whatever the case, just start stepping out and begin to lead. You’ll get better and feel more comfortable as you step out and lead more and more.

Finally, don’t let yourself hold back because you think you’re too young or that you don’t know enough to lead.

“Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity.” – (1 Timothy 4:12 GNT)

Daily Bible Verse – Jan 4, 2016

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. – 2 Cor 4:18 (NIV)

When we look at all the things going on around us, we can get distracted. There is so many things trying to take up our attention. The things that we see are only temporary. None of it will last. Yet, the promises of God are eternal.

Placing our eyes and minds on the promises of God, helps us to see the unseen. These things will last forever. If God made a promise to you in the Bible, then you can be sure it’s eternal. It doesn’t matter if you see that promise working at this moment, it is a true and you can stand on it.

Trusting in God’s promises more than what you see around you can be very comforting. You can know that what you see is only temporary.

Today focus in on a promise that God made to you in the Bible. Realize that His promise to you is eternal.