Reflections

A recent study from the University of Glasgow revealed something quite surprising.  It seems that when photographed, the human eye reflects the person taking the photo very clearly.   Rob Jenkins from the University of New York says that “the pupil of the eye is like a black mirror” and reveals far more than what was first thought.   What usefulness does this have?  Imagine a hostage situation where the kidnapper takes a photo of the person they are holding… computers can digitally zoom into the eyes of the person being held and see a clear picture of the criminal.  

The pupils reflect an image of what’s in front of them.

Our hearts do the same.  So often we put ourselves around people that we shouldn’t… and their influence is reflected in our lives.  We begin to talk like they do… think like they do… and many times slide backwards… away from the life that God has called us to live.   The Bible warns us about staying amongst those that harm our hearts.  Proverbs 22:24-25 says “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”  1 Corinthians 15:33 echoes this concept with “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.”   Find yourself angry?  Bitter?  Anxious?  Filled with gossip or jealousy?  Check your friends list.   Perhaps it is the reflected influence of a “friend” that is causing you to see the world differently.   Am I saying not to have friends that don’t believe like you do?  No.  You will (and should) hang out with people who are still investigating the claims of Christ.   But if you are a Christ-follower, your closest companions…those that have the greatest influence on your life… should follow and live out the values of Christ as you do.  

Repay

If you watch those reality TV court shows, you’ve assuredly seen one of the most common lawsuits out there.  One person lends money to another… and fails to be repaid.   The litigants shout at each other… claim it was only a gift… deny any wrongdoing… and in the end it’s up to the judge as to how to financially settle things.  

Money lending can divide.  It can cause lifelong friends to battle like sworn enemies… and allow hearts to become bitter and untrusting.  Why? Because many that lend expect interest… something extra in return.  Throughout the Bible, we are told to lend when necessary to help those in need… but never make money from our act of benevolence.   In fact, a great way to avoid this type of TV courtroom drama is simply to give someone the gift of financial help. Give with no strings attached…sacrifice willingly… and provide resources to those less fortunate.  We should do so knowing ahead of time that they may never be able to repay us.   And when we do…when we give with a heart filled with generosity… God blesses the relationship and allows it to thrive.  

Time Off?

On average, people live about 75 years.  And while that seems like a long time… let’s break that down.   That’s around 3900 weeks… 27,000 days… or about 648,000 hours.  Now let’s remove the time we spend sleeping (about 1/3 of that if we’re doing it right…).  That leaves us with about 112 hours a week that we are awake.  Now back in the day, the human race spent 70 of those 112 hours per week productively working.  Today is quite different.  In fact, due to some productivity improvements through technology, the average work week is 30 hours.  

And what do we do with all of that remaining time?  The 82 hours that we are awake and active?  Would you believe that the biggest part of that time is squandered in front of a flat screen?  It’s true. According to statistics, the majority of people passively watch television 4-5 hours per day… and spend many more hours staring at tablets, smartphones, and laptop screens.  YouTube logs in billions of views a day… in fact, the average person watches 15 hours of YouTube videos per week.  

What are you doing with your life?  All of those hours… those ticks of the clock… are you leveraging them to change the world?  Or using them to change the channel?  

Did you know that Einstein, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Abraham Lincoln, and your hard-working great-grandparents all had the same 24 hours per day… they all had time management issues… and they all had to decide what they were going to do with their time awake.  

Some make a difference… other make excuses…all have the same amount of hours per day.  

The Bible addresses this issue of time in the parable of the talents.  Three servants are given some money by their master to manage for him.  Two make more money… while one buries it to keep it safe.  Here’s the master’s reply to the one that squandered his chance: 

“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it'" (Matthew 25:26-27, NLT).  

The Bible is clear that we are to maximize our time… to see our lives as something given to us by our Creator to invest in His Kingdom and others.  To serve the world… to love those that can do nothing for us in return… to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ… and to enjoy those that God has put around us as friends and family.  

Maybe it’s time to take a technology fast.  Live in the now.  Maybe it’s time to stop seeing the world as photo ops for instagram and maximize your minutes for Christ.   We’ve got one chance on this side of Heaven to change the world for God.  Let’s take today seriously.  There will never be another January 28, 2015.  Ever.  And there will never be another you.  Ever.  Get out there and seize the chance to shine God’s light into a world that is blanketed with darkness.  You’ve got 24 hours… let’s go make a difference. 

No Worries

I read about a woman with an extremely rare condition.  So rare, in fact, that only 400 cases have been reported worldwide.  It causes her to speak without hesitation… jump when others pull back… boldly face danger… and do it all with a smile.  Her condition?  Urbach-Wiethe syndrome… also known as “no fear” disease.

This woman lives with absolutely no external fears.  No sweaty palms.  No elevated heartbeat.  No worry.  She still logically senses incoming danger…  for example, if a car is heading toward her, she knows to get out of the way.   She is able to face external stresses with no fear.  But the internal ones?

Still there. 

Isn’t it interesting that this condition blocks her from being afraid of what she can see… but still allows the mind to process fear on the inside?   The mind is powerful… and if we let it, it will paralyze us in worry and strife.  It causes us to fear externally and internally… spending our days stuck in neutral waiting for things to change.  But did you also know that you don’t need a rare condition to numb you to worry and stress.  In fact, God has already given you the plan.

A plan for you, the worrier.  A hope for you, the stressed.  A peace for you, the burdened.  His plan?  He wants you to get up everyday and internalize these two verses:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

“So do not fear, for I am with you;

    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

No fear.  No wringing  your hands over an empty bank account.  No more late night crying sessions over children that have lost their way.  No more feeling the dread of upcoming evaluations… or examinations… or loss.  You weren’t sent here to fear.  You weren’t designed to live in denial.  You weren’t meant to spend every day grasping for control of situations that you can’t possibly bend to your will.  

You were meant to trust.  

You don’t need more faith.  You need to live out the faith that you already have.  Even if all the faith you’ve got left is the size of a pebble… God can move mountains with it.  Take the two verses from today’s devotional and write them down on index cards.  Keep those cards with you everywhere you go… purse, wallet, dashboard, vanity, mirror, etc.   And when the enemy tries to take you down by buckling your knees,  stand strong in the power of these truths from our Heavenly Father.  

Life’s coming at you… and because of these verses, I can assure you that you’ll be ready… not in your own strength, but through the One who walks with you in the valley of uncertainty and challenge.   He’s more than enough and He’ll never let you go.  

One Sheep

It may seem hard to believe, but the United States average high-school dropout rate is 25%.  1 in 4 students decide to leave before they finish.   The question is… what is happening to stop this trend?  What are schools doing to pursue those that want to call it quits?

The church faces a similar situation.  People coming to the end of their faith and deciding that they just want to walk away from a God who seemingly doesn’t care.  So what’s being done?  What is the family of God supposed to do when one of their own drifts away?  Pursue.  Lovingly… and with great passion… go after those that have lost their way.  Scripture tells us in Matthew 18:12 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”  We are to go after the lost…the disillusioned…the confused…the broken…and the hurt.  They may be looking to drop out… and it’s that very time that God commands us to step in.  Sometimes all someone needs is the reassurance that things will get better…and that God still cares.  Know someone who’s walked away?  Today…without hesitation…start the process of leading them back.   Both of you will be better for it.  

Wait for the Captain

I once read a story about a young naval ensign on his first assignment.   He was given the responsibility of preparing the ship for launch… and he was nervous.  Remembering everything he’d learned in training, the young sailor yelled commands and readied the vessel for the voyage.  He accomplished his tasks in record time… and with a proud voice… gave the order to leave the dock.  Soon after they were out into open water, the ensign received a message.  It was from the captain.  It read “My personal congratulations upon completing your underway preparation exercise according to the book and with amazing speed. But next time, you might wait until your captain is aboard before setting off.”

Oops… Ever make that mistake?  Have you ever been so anxious and excited that you forgot to put first things first?  Many do… In fact, many take off and do things in their lives without waiting for God to be a part of it.  Isaiah 40:31 says to do otherwise:  “But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.”   Is it ok to be excited?  Ready?  Prepared to set the direction for our lives?  Yes!  However, if we do so without making sure God is onboard first, we will grow tired and quickly drift off course.   Seek God first.  Wait on Him to answer.  And then proceed… and it will be smooth sailing the whole way.  

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.