Perspective: Stone Monuments or Sandcastles

I share these thoughts, hoping they are of help to someone else.

Stone Monuments or Sandcastles

Scripture:

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell — and great was its fall!

Matthew 7:24-27

All of my castles in the sand - washed away again
And I'm left back where I began tonight
The only thing that can ever fill me up
Has been right in front of me all the time

From "All Along" by Remedy Drive

Yesterday, I ran into a man whom I knew from my previous job. We spoke for a few minutes about what we are doing now and what we've heard from our former coworkers. I learned from him that the company for which we once worked lost all of its business in its most lucrative markets. This company has always had shaky footing in these markets for legal reasons, and now, due to political pressure and court rulings, they have lost a great deal of their business.¹

This news brought to mind the project I worked on nearly a year ago. My boss was pushing this project in order to bring the company's product into the legal limits of a certain market. I thought about all the hard work and testing that went into the project. I remembered all the stress that I put myself through at the time. I thought about all the "fires" that my coworkers and I had to put out and about all the modifications to the program that I had to make, all to keep the clients in those markets happy. Now I feel as though all my work and all my worry was for naught.

At least I got paid, right?

This news, like a lot of things, has made me think about the bigger picture. What are we doing with our lives? For what are we working? What are we trying to accomplish? In what are we putting our faith?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses an analogy of a person who builds a house on a rock foundation and a person who builds a house on sand. The house built on the rock foundation holds firm when the storms come, but the house built on the sand is left in ruins. This is sound advice for anyone who sets out to build a house. Any contractor will tell you that a good solid foundation is essential for building a sturdy structure. Of course, Jesus is not actually talking about literal houses here: He is talking about our lives.

The bad thing about sand is that it does not keep its shape. Most of us who have ever visited the beach or even played in a sandbox have probably, at least once, built a sandcastle. One puts a lot of effort into building a sandcastle, and he or she is proud when it is finished. When the tide comes in or when the rain falls, though, there is little or no evidence that the castle even existed.

We live in a very shallow and materialistic world. Society puts a lot of pressure on us to seek after things that are vain and temporary. Often, people fall into this trap and go chasing after dreams that are, in the end, nothing but sandcastles. They give enjoyment for a brief time, but they make no lasting impact. They do not last forever, and, when all is said and done, these things amount to nothing.

Recently, I attended a workshop for Sunday School teachers in small churches. The leader of the workshop began with a story from the Old Testament book of Joshua. As the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God parted the Jordan River, allowing the people to cross over. Twelve men each took a large stone from the middle of the river. When the Israelites camped for the night, they set up the twelve stones as a monument to God. When future generations saw the monument and inquired about what it meant, they would be told all the great things that God had done for Israel.²

What are we building with our lives? Are we building things that are eternal or things that are temporal? Are we eternally touching the lives of others, or are we trying to accumulate all of the wealth, power, and fame for ourselves that we can?

On what foundation are we building our lives? Are we putting our hope and faith in things that are solid or in things that or uncertain? Are we putting all of our faith and hope in "Christ the solid rock," or are we trusting in "shifting sand"?³

What will we leave behind when we are gone? Are we making a positive or negative impact on the world around us? Are we making any impact at all? Will our legacy be like the stone monument, pointing others to God, or will our legacy be like a sandcastle washed away by the tide the moment we die?

Let's all reexamine our priorities. Let's stop putting our faith in things that are uncertain. Let's stop building sandcastles with our lives and start building eternal monuments to God.


Notes:
1 - If you really want more details, run an Internet search on news regarding electronic bingo in Alabama.
2 - Joshua 3-4
3 - From "My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less" by Edward Mote


If you have any feedback, thoughts, stories, or even arguments to contribute, please leave comments.

Introspection: The Voices in My Head

I share these thoughts, hoping they are of help to someone else.

The Voices in My Head

Scripture:

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward - to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision - you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.

Philippians 3:12-16 (The Message)

But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again, "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"

But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
The Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory."
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

From "The Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns

There have been a number of times over the last few weeks that I considered giving up the things that I started doing last year. I thought that I might quit teaching Sunday school. I also considered shutting down this blog as well. I was recently accused of arrogance, and I plunged into a time of self-doubt. I began questioning my own motives and doubting my sincerity.

Uncertainty about my own motives is something that haunts me at times. Sometimes I wonder if I do things for the right reasons or if somewhere inside I have a selfish motive. My inner dialogue is of no help whatsoever. Sometimes it is as if there is a voice in my head saying, "Admit it! You're not doing these things for God's glory: you're just trying to bring attention to yourself. You're making a mockery of God's work, so you had better stop!" Sometimes, I wonder if the voice is right. Am I no better than the stereotypical televangelist who just likes to hear himself talk? This is something that I do not want to admit, but I am not sure if it is because I actually don't believe the voice or if it is because I think it would be too painful to admit.

If you have been reading my articles on this blog over the past year or even if this is the first one you have read, you probably think that I have "issues." I recently took an online test that would seem to concur. Sometimes I wonder if I am really the right person to be doing the things that I do. Again the "devil's advocate" in me chimes in and says, "God doesn't need an overemotional basket case like you trying to speak for Him. You're only going to hurt His cause." If that is true, then should I not put aside my own desires for the sake of the greater good?

Sometimes I feel as though people think that I am a better person than I really am. Sometimes I even feel like a complete fraud. As most people probably do, I try to accentuate the good qualities of my character while keeping the more negative qualities swept under the rug. Sometimes, I look at my own faults and failures and feel that if I really am a Christian then I should be a better person than I am. Sometimes, my "voice" says, "Stop pretending to be a Christian! If only people knew what you are really like! Give up the act already!"

Maybe you have "voices" like the one that I have been describing. Maybe sometimes you have inner dialogue that discourages you and makes you feel unworthy to follow Christ. If so, please realize this: these voices are not of God.

Perhaps, like me, you feel as though you have too many "issues" to do anything for Christ. This is simply not true. If you look in the Bible, you will see that God has used many people with "issues" to do great things.

The story of the prophet Jonah is familiar to many of us. Jonah was called by God to warn a very wicked city about its impending doom. Jonah tried to shirk his calling and ended up swallowed by a whale. When he repented, though, he got a second chance. You may be less familiar with what happened afterward. Jonah became angry that the people of the city actually repented of their evil ways. Later, a worm destroyed his shade tree, and he said that he wished that he was dead. God used the incident to teach him a lesson about His concern for all people.¹

Another great prophet who had "issues" was Elijah, whom I have heard one preacher call "a manic-depressive."² Once, when he was on the run from those out to kill him, he asked God to end his life. God did not grant Elijah's request, but instead called him up a mountain and reassured him that everything would be alright.³

God, who sees even the darkest corners of all our hearts, knew of Elijah and Jonah's personal problems before he called them. He knew of Jonah's selfish and petty tendencies, but He still used him to bring a city to repentance. He knew of Elijah's doubt and despair, but He still used him to combat corruption and false religion in Israel. God did not give up on these prophets and used even their worst moments to work on their hearts.

Maybe, like me, you look at your own failures and feel as though you are unworthy to follow Christ. The truth is that, no matter what destructive path you have been traveling, it is never too late to turn around and run back to Christ. Like the father of the prodigal son, God is always waiting for us with His arms wide open. The Bible proves this time and time again.

When Jesus was put on trial and executed, His disciples abandoned Him one by one. One disciple, Peter, denied that he even knew Him. Jesus forgave Peter and the other disciples and, after the resurrection, entrusted them to continue the work He started.

We all know that St. Paul was very influential in the early church, writing letters and spreading the message of Christ. Before he met Christ, he was hellbent on destroying the Church, persecuting as many Christians as he could get his hands on. Despite his sins against humanity and against Christ, God used him to spread the Gospel to many people.

We all have flaws and "issues." We are all sinners who have failed God time and time again, but He does not give up on us. God sees more in us than our mistakes, our baggage, our faults, and our problems. God believes in us even when we don't believe in ourselves.⁴ Christ has called all of us to follow Him and to be His disciples. This calling has nothing to do with our own worthiness, but everything to do with His grace.

If, like me, you have doubts about your motives, do not get discouraged. The journey of faith is a life-long journey: we are not going to reach our destination immediately. As long as we live, we will not get everything right. The "new self" and the "old self" are going to battle it out in our hearts for our entire lives. St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, says that we are running a race. If we keep our eyes on the finish line, God will give us the grace to keep running, and He will provide us the grace to rise above our sins and our "issues." Be patient with yourself.

Maybe my desire to tell my story on this blog is a symptom of narcissism. Maybe it is simply a desire to share more about myself with others. This blog has given me a place to work out a lot of things in my life and a place to look back and to remember the lessons that God has taught me. I post these lessons on the Internet for others to see, hoping that maybe someone else can benefit from the things I have learned. Whatever my motives, I honestly believe that God has worked through me and my writing, so, instead of "quenching the Spirit" with my self-doubt, I will continue to write, hoping that Christ will increase as I decrease.

Never give up! Keep running the race that God has called you to run. Rebuke the voices in your head that try to bring you down. Pay them no attention! Instead, listen to the Spirit of God who is at work in your life.


Notes:
1 - Jonah 4
2 - Chad Norris. "On the Verge of Greatness." Wayfarer/Engage.
3 - 1 King 19
4 - I have to give my mom credit for this sentence.
See also: Rob Bell. NOOMA Dust | 008. Flannel.


If you have any feedback, thoughts, stories, or even arguments to contribute, please leave comments.

Introspection: Lesson from a Ladybug

I share these thoughts as a call to action.

Lesson from a Ladybug

Scripture:

...I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you gave Me clothing, I was sick and you took care of Me, I was in prison and you visited Me... Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of My family, you did it to Me.

Matthew 25:35-36,40

Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the brokenhearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see

From "Give Me Your Eyes" by Brandon Heath

I have never been very adept at attracting the ladies, but, for some reason, I seem to attract ladybugs. I remember finding ladybugs on the table after bible study and taking them outside - two weeks in a row. Once during a chapel service, I remember looking down and seeing at least three ladybugs on the floor beneath me.

Two months ago, I was riding back from a retreat with a minister friend when a ladybug flew onto my finger. A few seconds later, it flew off of my finger and went downward. This worried me, as I was afraid I would step on it. I was relieved to later find the ladybug on the car door near my leg. I watched it crawl up the door and onto the window. As it neared the top, I cracked the window to give it an opportunity to escape back into nature. Unfortunately, the ladybug only went halfway out. I didn't want to force it out of the car since we were driving pretty fast, so I coaxed it back into the car and closed the window. When my friend and I arrived at our destination, we finally got the ladybug out of the car.

Watching the ladybug and trying to get it out of the car, I realized something. If I was this preoccupied with the well-being of an insect, then so much more I should preoccupy myself with the well-being of my fellow human beings.

According to Christ, concern for others must be a priority in our lives. In His last parable as recorded in the Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus speaks of the final judgment of humanity. Those Christ places at His right, the sheep, are commended for feeding the hungry, for clothing the needy, for caring for the sick, and for visiting the lonely. Those He places at His left, the goats, are condemned for their neglect of the hungry, the needy, the sick, and the lonely. Christ even goes so far as to say that whenever one of the sheep helped those in need it was as if he or she was helping Him. He also says that whenever one of the goats ignored someone in need, it was as if he or she was ignoring Him. The sheep are welcomed into the promised Kingdom while the goats are punished.¹

Notice that, in this story, it is not one's beliefs that determines whether or not a person enters the Kingdom. It is, in fact, the people's treatment of the down-and-out that separates the sheep from the goats, that separates those who are truly close to God and those who are actually estranged from God. Belief is important, but it is not enough. True living faith must bear fruit in our lives, showing through in our treatment of others.²

As followers of Christ, we are called to love one another as He loves us,³ and there are people all around us who are desperately in need of Christ's love. I have a friend who recently remarked that she is "trying to find her own Calcutta." This is a reference to Mother Teresa who devoted her life to caring for the needy in the Indian city of Calcutta. She was noted for saying, "Calcuttas are everywhere if only we have eyes to see. Find your Calcutta."⁴ We do not have to go halfway around the world to find those who need to experience Christ's love.

In the past year I began writing and teaching Sunday school. I was even blessed with the opportunity deliver the sermon at my Church a few times. If there is one thing that I have learned from the whole experience, it is that it's easy to preach. Practicing what I preach is another story. I too know that it is much easier to ignore or dismiss a problem then to actually try to do something about it. I can preach about showing Christ's love to others, but, if His love is not showing through in my own life, I am just making noise.⁵ This is as much an exhortation to myself as it is to you, the reader.

In this new year, let us all preoccupy ourselves with the well-being of others and look for ways to show the love of Christ to those in need.


Notes:
1 - Matthew 25:31-46
2 - James 2:14-17
3 - John 13:34
4 - Shane Claiborne. The Irresistible Revolution. 2006, Zondervan.
5 - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Ladybug photo by Jon Sullivan is public domain.


If you have any feedback, thoughts, stories, or even arguments to contribute, please leave comments.