Do you see what I see?

(Light of the world by Mark Missman)

This morning as I sit by my Christmas tree while my pup is curled up on my toes and I sip my cup of tea, I am blessed by a few thoughts as I read the Christmas story yet again.  I ask myself, What patterns do I see in people's behaviors? I love that when people heard about the baby Jesus they wanted to see Him. Curiosity motivated many to go and see. Who is this Christ child? Why is He born in Bethlehem? Why is He lying in a manger? Who gets a star and a host of angels for a birth announcement? I noticed that the people that had to go check things out included the poor shepherds, the rich wise men of the east, and the evil King Herod. Both the good and the bad. The shepherds were emotional and spontaneous! They wanted to go see Him out of curiousity. Curiousity turned to reverence and awe that poured out in celebration and proclamation. The wise men used science to draw them to the historical reference to a king prophesied in the stars. Their journey was logical and calculated with pre-planned extravagant gifts. King Herod's response was passionate and intense spawned in fear and jealousy that led to a manipulative plot to kill the Christ child whose kingdom was prophesied to never end. While the shepherds longed for deliverance and hope, the wise men wanted to see history and science unfold a great mystery. Sadly, King Herod wanted to silence the Breath of Life so he could reign without competition. Isn't it amazing that a little child could evoke such passion from so many! When we reflect on Christmas we must ask ourselves, Why do I run to see the Christ child? What is my motive and reason? Am I spontaneous, logical, or manipulative? Do I come ready to celebrate, proclaim, and give Him good gifts? Or do I manipulate and plot to stay on my personal throne? 

Tidings of Great Joy

For my morning worship yesterday I drew this little bird declaring his praise song. I felt he needed the phrase, "Fear not for I bring you tidings of great joy." I basked in his declaration as I drew in worship. I realize to some that may sound odd. Yet, I know the reality that joy inspires creativity and yes at times joy can seem quite unreasonable. It may not make sense to the one observing and not yet grasping. Even when one cannot understand, we cannot hide joy because joy overflows and spills forth. 

This morning as I read about Mary's magnificant and Zechariah's praise song, it occurred to me that both spontaneously burst into praise about the goodness of God because they believed that God would do what He said He would do. When the angels declared that a child was born that would be a Savior to all men to the shepherds, they ran to go see. Once they saw the baby as the angels declared, they ran to tell everyone what they had seen and heard. See joy pours out from the depth of our well being because when we know the goodness of the LORD is certain, it unlocks a sense of purpose and unleashes the power of praise. We live knowing that the joy of the LORD is our strength because our joy is set upon the One who gives us hope, healing, and an eternal home. 

To give great tidings of joy is to declare the goodness of God. To whom might you declare His praise and know the joy of the LORD is our strength? Maybe, today you might practice declaring what you know about God and discover joy! 

Can you hear me now?

“Do you have any questions for me?” Naomi asked. I had a short list of things I wanted to confirm and one of them was “Do you want me to wear a headset when we do Zoom calls?” Naomi said that it might help with sound quality, so I reached over and grabbed a little black pouch that held a Pop Voice mic that Joshua (ASM Communications) had sent to me the year before to help with sound quality for ION/Canada recordings. I thought, “Nice! I will put to good use this gift! And how fun that God would have me using it now as a staff member for the ministry that blessed me just because!”

I plugged it in while we chatted and asked Naomi, “Is the sound quality better?”

“Yes, the hum disappeared.”

Oh, that beastly hum! I then took that foam covered end and placed it in my right ear and asked, “Can you hear me now?”

“Yes!”

I thought, “Oh I do not really want it in my right ear I might pull it out because I am right-handed!” So, pulled it out and looked at it for a split second and realized that it was a lapel mic! A snort, a burst of air, and then spewing laughter overtook me to the point that I could not breathe.

“Uhm, Naomi, do you see what I just did?”

At this she begins to laugh, “I bet you are quite prepared for the radio podcasts!”

Oh, my! I cannot stop laughing. I probably lost a few pounds from the laughter! In case you did not get it, I put the mic in my ear and asked, “Can you hear me now?”

Problems and Provisions

Have you ever noticed that there are those that see the problem and there are those that see the provision? I find myself shutting down or tuning out when someone starts to list the problems to a circumstance. I know that we need to look at all the issues and try to find the obstacles. I get it, but in my core, I do not resonate well when this happens. Call it a Pollyanna complex or positive outlook, but for me it is is core to my faith. When times get tough, I will begin the journey of finding out how faith will move the circumstance forward. 

This morning as I read John 6, I noticed something. Jesus was out healing and caring for the people so a large crowd gathered. He knew the people were hungry and had a need, but He wanted to teach the disciples something. Jesus asked the disciples, "Where will we buy bread so these people will eat?" There were two responses. Philip stated, "Two hundred denari would not be enough." That is equivalent to about eight months in wages. While another unnamed disciple said, "There is a boy who has two fish and five loaves of bread, but what are they for so many?" I realized that Philip saw the problem and the unnamed disciple saw a provision. Jesus didn't confront either but simply said, "Have the people sit down." Jesus then gave thanks and started to distribute the fish and loaves. When the people were full, Jesus asked the disciples to collect the leftovers. What caught me this morning was that both received the blessing of seeing Jesus provide miraculously. I really needed to hear this because I often find myself really annoyed with the one that only sees the problem. I just realized that both must have answered in faith. They were asked a question and both with their own reasoning skills answered as best they could. Their answers were not rebuked. Jesus simply showed them how He alone can make a way. Even when it is costly like eight months worth of wages or a small provision of two fish and five loaves. How we reason does not not matter. What matters is that we are in a conversation ready to receive and learn from Jesus by faith. I love that both got to see a miracle that day. And I recognize I need to be more patient with my problem solvers. Faith walking doesn't mean that we will only focus on provision. Faith walking also includes problem solving. God has used this passage to cause me to be more grace filled toward those that I might view as a naysayers. Today this will be my fishes and loaves. 

Gabriel telling Mary she will have a Son named Jesus by a student in Hope for Children Orphanage

https://youtu.be/bx0xjgnwGSo

A student at Hope for the Children Orphanage made a video for me after I put out an encouragement for people to tell the Christmas story in their heart language. I have received several videos from Hope for the Children Orphanage and it sounds like more are coming. I will post one here, but all will be uploaded on my YouTube channel.  I am so proud of them for learning the Christmas story, English, and retelling it. Thank you Sgatluak Geng, my dear brother Simon, who translated for me when I taught in Gambella, for teaching the students how to tell Bible stories! My heart rejoices in how you and your team serve so faithfully!  Thank you for all you do!

Two Leadership Qualities We Need: Initiate and Include

Have you ever walked into a room full of people and felt not included? Did you wonder if you should initiate a conversation or awkwardly wait for someone to initiate or include you? I have felt this in family gatherings because I live far away and I often feel like the outsider looking in. They all live together and bond on a regular basis. I know they love me, but I am not a part of their daily lives. Because I travel and speak, I am on a frequent basis the outsider coming in to an already established community. It is awkward if I let it be, but I have learned something that has helped me. God is an includer and an initiator. Since, He is the ultimate leader I want to follow and imitate, I need to grow in these character qualities.

I have been reading through my Bible since 1992 and over and over I am blessed by these two leadership truths: initiate and include. We are called to be includers and initiators as well. In Genesis 1:27, we are told in the creation account that God created man in His image. And if that was not enough, He then created male and female in His image. God included mankind in His creation and then initiated an invitation to mankind to be fruitful and multiply. Mulitplication can only happen when two or more initiate and include. When Adam and Eve sinned, God initiated the conversation when Adam and Eve hid. God sought to include them in a conversation when they sought to hide in their shame. God's plan always includes us! Are we willing to engage when God initiates with us? 

Even Jesus when He began His ministry initiated relationships by seeking men of good character to include in His journey while on earth. And when Jesus sent the disciples out to make disciples He told them to go in twos. This demonstrated inclusion with one another before initiating inclusion with others. So, when I find myself standing in a room of people I remind myself to initiate and include. I often stand and look over the room and pray asking God who He wants me to initiate and include. God has given me some of the dearest friendships through this process. It is what God has done for me and it is what I need to do for you. When my kids were little I would tell them, "If you want a friend, you gotta be a friend." Friends are born only when we are willing to initiate and include. Look around you today and see who you might need to initiate and include. Break the awkward silence and take the steps to begin a conversation. Who knows what God might do as you initiate and include! 

Uncompromising sacrifice

You could hear the hum of his wheel chair and the clicking of the dogs claws as she walked him into the classroom. Every class, the same sounds announced that my professor Dr. Matthis, his wife Odie, and pup had arrived. For three years in my doctoral studies, I watched as Odie daily drove her husband to work, set up his office and classroom space, so he could teach. She stayed on campus all day so she could care for his needs and feed him. See, Dr. Mathis had ALS, but he was called to teach. Odie new that his need to teach gave him strength, meaning, and hope so she sacrificed her personal desires and needs to help Dr. Matthis fulfill his call to teach the next generation of leaders. Odie reminds me of Ruth in the Bible.

For something to be considered a sacrifice one must give up either a personal need, want, desire, or dream for anothers benefit. When Ruth's mother-in-law packed everything up to leave Moab after her husband and two sons died, she urged her daughter-in-laws to go home because she had nothing left to give them. Ruth made an astounding choice that day. She willingly chose to give up her culture, home, people, and god to go with Naomi. If you think on it, these are the very things that make up a person's identity. Ruth chose to sacrifice her identity to go and care for her mother-in-law. No wonder Ruth is used as the symbol of loyalty and devotion by biblical scholars. 

We each have choices to make on a daily basis. We can choose to live our lives selfishly, sinfully, or sacrificially. I don't know about you, but my self gets in the way more than it should. And lest I think I don't let sin get in the way, I have to ask myself at times, if I know that I am to die to self daily and don't, wouldn't that be a sin of omission? Please know I am not trying to guilt me or you into sacrifice, but I am trying to challenge us to consider how we might walk more sacricifially. Sometimes the sacrifices might be thrust upon us because of relationships, jobs, illness or the death of a loved one. Regardless of the circumstance, it is the attitude of the service that makes it a sacrifice worth noting. Both Odie and Ruth willingly sacrificed because they lived in loyal love. It is a beautiful thing to watch, but not an easy journey to walk. 

Over the years I started to call Odie-"Odiedear" because Odiedear always affectionately called me Tara'Darlin. It is amazing how lives can be changed by one who lives out sacrificially for others. For Ruth, her sacrifice led to her salvation. She believed in the one true God. He gave her a husband and a child. Her son was a grandfather in the lineage of Jesus. We never know the outcome of our sacrifices, but the rewards always outweigh the alternatives of selfishness and sinfulness. Father, please help us to live sacrificialy like Odiedear and Ruth. Where would you like for us to sacrifice today? Help us to walk it joyfully. In Jesus name, amen!

Photo credit: Robert T. Barrett from the American Gallery