Do What It Says

I read an news report about a man who has spent his entire 71 years on the planet in school.  Michael Nicholson of Kalamazoo, Michigan has an interesting hobby:  he collects degrees.  So far he has 29 and is on course for his 30^th.  His accomplishments include one doctorate, three specialist degreees, one bachelor’s degree, two associate degrees, and 22 masters.  When asked about it, Michael says that he just loves to learn.   

And while we might at first celebrate his decision… it doesn’t take long before we realize the tragedy in this story.  Mr. Nicholson has spent his entire life learning disciplines without putting any of it to use.   He’s filled his head with knowledge and his walls with paperwork… but his legacy remains locked away in his briefcase.  Learning is important… but without utilizing the knowledge we receive… it’s practically useless.  The same goes for our study of the Bible.  James tells us in chapter 1 and verse 22 that we should not merely listen to the word… but we are to “Do what it says.”  Knowing who God is and doing what God wants are two different things… and one without the other is simply missing our purpose.   While it’s very important to study and memorize scripture… it’s equally as important to take the message out of the confines of the mind and into the world through our hands and heart.   

Emptying the Old

I have been a lifetime learner.  I love to read and discover new things… to broaden my horizons every opportunity I have.  What I’m figuring out is that the older I get, the more I find I don’t know.   And the things I already have stored away are constantly evolving and changing with the times.   I have come to realize that knowledge and wisdom are wonderful things… but shouldn’t be my primary goal.  The other day I was thinking about this when I ran across this story about famed martial artist, Bruce Lee.

Someone had asked Master Lee to teach him everything he knew about martial arts.  Bruce took two cups and filled them both to the brim with water.  He told the inquisitive man that the first cup represented everything the man already knew.  The second cup was all that Bruce knew about the arts.  Lee told him that in order for him to fill his cup with new knowledge… he would have to empty his cup of the old.   

The man had to make room for what was important.  To shed the way things were to be able to receive the way things needed to be.  

It reminds me of this verse in Philippians:

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8)

So many of us have cups that won’t hold another drop.  We have appointments to keep, resources to manage, and responsibilities to uphold.   We want to be filled with Christ but we just don’t have the room!  So we compartmentalize our faith and squeeze God in where we can.  We don’t pray as much as we should or read His word to fill ourselves with truth.  Instead we try to pour Christ into an already overflowing mind hoping enough will stay in to make us feel better or get us through life.  

Something has to go.   What in our mind needs to be emptied so that more of Christ can come in?   Gaining the peace, love, strength, joy, excitement, support, and acceptance of Christ needs to be paramount to anything else we do.  Our family is important.   Our health is important.  Our business is important.  Our mental well-being is important.  But all of these pale in comparison to the importance of our relationship with Christ.   Let’s empty our day of distractions and fill our lives with Him.  Let’s pray, share, love, give, serve, and obey Christ.  In everything we do, honor Him and live by what He teaches in His Word.  And before long, the hectic life we’re living will give way to the peaceful life He desires for us to have.  

We can’t receive new without emptying the old…

Today, let’s begin pouring out what doesn’t belong and asking God to fill up that new space with what’s best for us.  

Winning and Losing

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So l et it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”  James 1:2-4

When I went to college, I played a lot of basketball... and believe it or not, our team didn’t win every game.  As you would imagine, those losses hurt... but I remember an important truth that our coach shared with us.  He said that the wins were better for our reputation but the losses were better for our game.  Why?  Because we discovered what we needed to work on to become even better!

Sometimes in life, we have losses.  Setbacks.  Challenges that appear pointless.   Many of us look to Heaven... asking God that age old question... why?  The answer is simple...If we won all the time...if everything always worked...many would think they didn’t need God.  Failure reminds us that we can’t do it without Him... it teaches us lessons that develop our character... and as James 1 reminds us... it allows our faith and endurance to grow!  I challenge you... the next time you face a setback... see it as an opportunity to get stronger and better equipped for future success.

Professional Student?

I read an ABC news report about a man who has spent his entire 71 years on the planet in school.  Michael Nicholson of Kalamazoo, Michigan has an interesting hobby:  he collects degrees.  So far he has 29 and is on course for his 30^th.  His accomplishments include one doctorate, three specialist degrees, one bachelor’s degree, two associate degrees, and 22 masters.  When asked about it, Michael says that he just loves to learn.   

And while we might at first celebrate his decision… it doesn’t take long before we realize the tragedy in this story.  Mr. Nicholson has spent his entire life learning disciplines without putting any of it to use.   He’s filled his head with knowledge and his walls with paperwork… but his legacy remains locked away in his briefcase.  Learning is important… but without utilizing the knowledge we receive… it’s practically useless.  The same goes for our study of the Bible.  James tells us in chapter 1 and verse 22 that we should not merely listen to the word… but we are to “Do what it says.”  Knowing who God is and doing what God wants are two different things… and one without the other is simply missing our purpose.   While it’s very important to study and memorize scripture… it’s equally as important to take the message out of the confines of the mind and into the world through our hands and heart.   

Live Out Your Learning

I read an ABC news report about a man who has spent his entire 71 years on the planet in school.  Michael Nicholson of Kalamazoo, Michigan has an interesting hobby:  he collects degrees.  So far he has 29 and is on course for his 30^th.  His accomplishments include one doctorate, three specialist degreees, one bachelor’s degree, two associate degrees, and 22 masters.  When asked about it, Michael says that he just loves to learn.   

And while we might at first celebrate his decision… it doesn’t take long before we realize the tragedy in this story.  Mr. Nicholson has spent his entire life learning disciplines without putting any of it to use.   He’s filled his head with knowledge and his walls with paperwork… but his legacy remains locked away in his briefcase.  Learning is important… but without utilizing the knowledge we receive… it’s practically useless.  The same goes for our study of the Bible.  James tells us in chapter 1 and verse 22 that we should not merely listen to the word… but we are to “Do what it says.”  Knowing who God is and doing what God wants are two different things… and one without the other is simply missing our purpose.   While it’s very important to study and memorize scripture… it’s equally as important to take the message out of the confines of the mind and into the world through our hands and heart.