Dear Salvation Army – 3 Questions To Ask Before Becoming An Officer

Dear Salvationists,
this is not 3 “magical beans” reminiscent of Jack and the bean stalk, this is simply an exploration into officership.

The Truth:
Officership is not for everyone.

The Lie:
In order to live out my calling as a Soldier I MUST become an Officer.

I do not say this to discourage anyone from becoming an officer, please do not misunderstand me.
I wish to dispel the myth that in order to be fulfilled in ministry within the army one must ALWAYS become an officer.
I do not wish to undermine anyone’s calling either.
If God has specifically called you into Officership, then by all means fulfill that calling!
There are, however, some within our army who feel that in order to do more and be more they must become officers only to discover that this was not the right choice for them. I believe this certainly does contribute to the continued and troubling attrition rate amongst officers. One way to address this issue (loss of officers) is to ask the hard questions prior to becoming an officer. Sometimes, not always, individuals enter training with a pie in the sky, unrealistic concept of what Officership looks like, or should look like, and then when they are sent out to appointments reality hits and they begin to say to themselves “this isn’t what I signed up for”. THQ and DHQ are very good at reminding officers of the covenant that they signed (sometimes too good) but in all honesty some consider this covenant as just another hurdle to become an officer and wear that red trim.

Understandably, the screening process and testing done for prospective candidates has become more elaborate (depending on the territory, it will vary). With these benchmarks in place it does help to process “qualified” candidates. In saying this, I recognize some might take offense to this, perhaps because they did not “qualify”, or are currently in the process of becoming an accepted candidate. To some this is frustrating. The testing process, like many things in life, is not perfect. Individuals have potentially made the screening process only to phase out in training or eventually leave the work for a multitude of reasons.

Putting that aside, please allow me to share three important questions one should ask themselves before committing to Officership.
DISCLAIMER: These three questions are merely primer or starter questions and are not meant to be all inclusive. There are many more variables to consider before taking that important step, but here are three suggested questions to consider:

3 Questions To Ask Before Becoming An Officer:

#1 Why do I want to become an Officer?
When we ask this personal question of ourselves we can hopefully draw some conclusions as to our purpose and intent for wanting to become an officer. Be honest. If you can’t be honest with yourself, then who can you be honest with? Answering this fundamental question of officership can help to further clarify your personal goals in life. If you feel as if God has specifically called you into this then that should be your answer. If you don’t know why you want to be an officer – that is your answer (as murky as that is)…and so you explore that possibility. If you answer this question on the basis of relatives who are also serving in the army and you signed up because it is comfortable and familiar to you – there’s your answer. I am not saying any, other than God calling you, are completely wrong reasons but they do become the catalyst for what kind of officer you do become. Perhaps make a list of all the reasons that you want to be an officer, jot them down on a notepad so that you can better see them. This might help you make a comprehensive decision and not one that you might regret if you enter into this decision half-hearted and unsure.

#2 Have I prayed about this?
Another honest question to ask yourself. Not to scare you or anything but this decision is a big one! It will impact everything that you do in life. That doesn’t mean that you can’t change directions later, but it means that you can make the right choices at the onset by simply and prayerfully considering this decision. Please note that I am not discouraging anyone from becoming an officer, in fact if anything I am pleading to anyone considering taking that step to do so with prayerful consideration which involves the Lord throughout the process in a daily walk with Him.

Start a prayer journal if you’re a writer or can better connect to God in this way. For some of us articulating these emotions upon the page can help us sort through our spiritual decisions. Have others pray for you as well. This is probably obvious, but take the time to ask the Father for guidance. Be specific. Pray for support and the proper guidance of other people. Pray and don’t hide any motives from God, because naturally He already knows our hearts.

#3 Can I Live This Life of Submission?
This is the Officers Covenant that is signed while at College for Officers Training:

MY COVENANT

CALLED BY GOD
to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
as an officer of The Salvation Army

I BIND MYSELF TO HIM IN THIS SOLEMN COVENANT

to love and serve him supremely all my days,

to live to win souls and make their salvation the first purpose of my life,

to care for the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, love the unlovable, and befriend those who have no friends,

to maintain the doctrines and principles of The Salvation Army, and, by God’s grace to prove myself a worthy officer.

Done in the strength of my Lord and Savior, and in the presence of (the following wording to be adapted to local circumstances) the Territorial Commander, training college officers and fellow cadets.

This calling to become an officer is a sacred decision.
I do not wish to sugarcoat this.
I also do not wish to paint an officer’s life as always glorious, or always rosy, or always joyful.
These things do happen, there will be setbacks, heartaches, days of discouragement, stress and disappointment.
When we deal with people, even leaders can and will make mistakes.
We are not perfect people, but we are striving to live a life of humility and submission.
Is this easy? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
For some of us, this is the hardest thing we could ever do.
Many do not like being told what to do, where to go, and sometimes how to do something.
Politics does happen.
Favoritism does happen too.
Living within a relationship of submission to the Lord in this capacity will not be easy.
We do trust that He knows what He is doing even when we feel others have made leadership mistakes.
We do trust that He will lead and direct even when sometimes the directions seem skewed and wrong.
Submission first to God allows us to live this life under the authority of the Army.
Can you live this way?
Are you prepared to submit to this kind of authority (even when you may not always agree)?

The life of an Officer is rewarding.
It can be fulfilling…but is this the right decision for you?
Only you and the Lord can answer that question.
There are many, many saints in this army. Some wear red trim on their tunics and some wear blue trim on their tunics…these saints are equally needed and important in this army!! If God has called you into Officership then get on with it and stop dragging your feet! If He has not called you into Officership but into a place leadership and service as a soldier and/or employee of this army, then get on with it also – YOU ARE NEEDED regardless if you wear red or not.

Something more for this army world to ponder!
To God be the glory!

February 3, 2015 6

Churches – “We’re outsourcing our benevolence funds”…Really?

Is the need that great?
Are churches having trouble “keeping up”?
Why are some churches outsourcing the care of the poor to agencies?
Isn’t there some sort of responsibility that churches ought to have in regards to helping those in need?

It is mind boggling to me when I come across community churches that have outsourced one of its primary functions in as Christians to a created agency to facilitate. They are happy to funnel their “charity” funds into a created social service office somewhere off of their church buildings. It almost says to the outside world – we’re interested only in those who can support themselves but we don’t want the riffraff of society in our beautiful buildings.

The Benefit of the doubt:
Granted, there are always new legalities and policies within cities taking place which makes it difficult for some churches to serve the needy.

Secondly, some churches do not have the budgets for staffing full time social service employees to facilitate this need.

Thirdly, storage and distribution space.

But…
(and it’s a big one) does this mean ONLY parishioners/members of that church can have access to services?
The danger in this kind of model of social distribution of services (and it really does exist) is that support for individuals in need is managed in a discriminatory fashion. If you do not belong to the “club” you cannot receive help…”but here are a list of food pantries in the area that we can direct you to.” That’s all well and good but don’t you think the message it is sending is “you don’t belong here, please go somewhere else…Members only!”?

Outsourcing:
The only kind of outsourcing Jesus did was delegating responsibilities to his disciples.
It was for their education as disciples.
It was to help them and to grow as future leaders.
Jesus didn’t send people on their way to the temple administrators.
He didn’t tell some “I can’t heal you because you aren’t a member”

Why do some churches take this path?
Does it deviate from the true purpose of “Church”?
Does it seem to send a message of “We care, but not in our backyard“?

I ponder these things today with open questions because honestly I don’t have the answers.
I just see that certain churches have become pretentious in appearances and treat benevolence like a blight or an annoyance that they deal with once or twice a year with a collection.

Is this not important?
Are we not to care for the orphans, widows and poor?
Has it become beneath the modern American church?
If that person isn’t a member is there any help that we can give them?

Something more to ponder today.

February 2, 2015 2

Seeking Dead-Jesus… (a reflection of Mary at the tomb)

I keep thinking about Mary encountering Jesus in the garden post-death.
Imagine it with me if you can:

She is going there to properly take care of his dead body.
She is going there to shed a few more tears in private.
She is going there to say goodbye.
Her heart is as heavy as a led balloon.
She just can’t wake up from this nightmare.
Rising early that morning, a night wrought with bad dreams and sleeplessness, she heads directly to the grave.
Call it a moment to convince herself that He’s really gone.
Call it a part of the mourning process.

Rounding the last turn in the overgrown garden she comes upon a sight that she cannot quite explain.
Reason fails her and she is pauses a step to take in the scene attempting to comprehend it all – His grave is open. Picking up the pace, she closes in on the tomb and enters all in one quick motion. The place where they had laid Jesus is empty, it is vacant. Had the authorities changed their minds? What happened to the body of her teacher, her rabbi?

Mary runs back and gets the disciples who, upon hearing this troubling news, run to the tomb to check it out for themselves.

Fresh tears begin to well up in her eyes as a lump forms in her throat as this all takes place.
Where is Jesus?
Why had they done this?
Could they not have left Him be, allowing this one ounce of dignity?

Stepping back out of the tomb, the early sun begins to crest the horizon and spills effortlessly out upon the garden igniting it in hues of orange and red. Mary doesn’t know what to do. She is dumb-founded. Mary peers again into the tomb to make sure she has seen it correctly, as grief can often cloud the ruffled edges of judgment and understanding. Then…something catches her eye – two angelic forms standing beside the place where dead-Jesus had been laid. They speak to her. “Woman, why are you crying?” they ask…as if the meaning of death and loss meant nothing. But Mary swallows back tears and replies “They have taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they have put Him.” Uttering this very statement is like releasing the floodgates in a dam and her resolve breaks and so does her heart.

Suddenly, a shadow passes between her and the fire branded sunrise. It is the silhouette of a man. It MUST be the gardener coming to tend to the property before the hot sun engulfs and wilts the plants. It must be someone who knows something about where Jesus has be taken. Once again, the question is asked of her, this time by the man standing silhouetted in front of her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” Again Mary sniffles and forces out a tired, bitter response amidst her flowing tears “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

She is at the end of her strength.
She is beyond heart-sick.
At the very least this can be done – recovering Jesus’ body.

Then, something remarkable happens – the dead speaks.
The man before her says one word that brings water to a desert.
This one word means more than the content of thousands of words meticulously strewn together in a book.
He speaks this one word and the storms of mourning cease.
He speaks this one word and shattered pieces of her heart become whole again.
“MARY.”
In her weakest state she recognizes just who He is.
In her tear-blurred eyes and flood of grieving heart, she finds renewed strength in His presence.
She calls out to Him by His respected title – ““Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Mary is overwhelmed with joy.
She is filled with relief.
The sun, now in its fuller light shines upon the son of God in all of His resurrected glory.
He is alive!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
I keep coming back to this story because often we too keep going to back to the empty tombs in our lives.
We keep coming up with the wrong conclusions.
Doubt casts its shadow upon our faith and it weighs heavily on us.
Doubt blurs our resolve and shakes our foundations of belief.
We stoop down into that tomb time and time again and we forget that we do not serve a dead-savior, but a risen one.
We need to look up and see Him.
We need to recognize our teacher.
We need to find Him once more for ourselves.
He wipes away our tears and longs for us to cry out to Him.

Will you?
Something more to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

January 29, 2015 0

This is Holiness (A Poem)

I want to be something
I am not quite yet.
Something more
Something better
than I am now.
I wipe my
guilt riddled brow…
not that I am wretched
or maybe I am…
Still there is this
longing
deep
within
my Heart.
It drives me
propels me constantly
forward
call it passion
call it charisma
call it a compulsion
to become who I was made to be…

Can’t you see,

there is something more…

something deeper than
all of this.
It’s like a handshake instead of a kiss
a ‘like’ instead of LOVE

But God blew the doors open
when Jesus was sent
from above…

I am pardoned

once condemned…
no longer hemmed into
this death sentence

cornered because these wages
of sin weighed

heavily on me.
Instead,

I am free.
And in this freedom
in this perfect light
I now can see
with heavenly sight
from broken and shattered
to a pardoning matter
a redemption
a promise
and now… I want to be
more

than this.

I was the one
who kissed His cheek

i was the one
who denied His name
I was the one
who played sin’s game

But now…

now, I want to soak up

His presence
to capture…………………………………………….this essence
of holiness inside this
pardoned heart.

Now I find the chains

are not gone

and the day has
dawned on this fire to burn
me into His reflection
so that before the Father
no sin can be detected
and love has intersected
with one lost and now found.
I am ready.
I am ready to be more
to live more
to become
even Christ on a cross.

January 28, 2015 0

Coming Soon: Book Review “Holistic Hospitality” by Andy Miller III

I just received a copy of this book.
I have been asked to write a review on it, and I look forward to posting that here in the next week or so.

Please stay tuned!

January 27, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, 10 – Salvationists That Have Inspired Me…

Paul had Barnabas to inspire and encourage him even if they didn’t always get a long in the end.
Paul became Timothy’s mentor who inspired a new generation of the early Christian church.
Throughout history there have been those who have stepped up to lead by example. They have been mentors, accountability partners, strong godly leaders, examples of holiness. Despite all of these things, none of them (and most will freely admit this) were perfect or had it “all together”.

Get this:
Our Army needs more inspiring leaders like the ones I am about to list!
Perhaps this is you…perhaps you are the next generation of leaders about to step up and take this mantle. This isn’t some sort of popularity contest, or ego trip…this is leading and serving as a godly example for others. Many do this without any fan fare.
Most simply want to be like Christ and so they strive daily to humbly serve and become living examples of Him to the rest of us. We certainly need more of these inspiring servants in our Army today!

Scriptural Reminders for us today:
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” -Ephesians 4:2
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ…” 1 Corinthians 11:1
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ²and walk in love, just as Christ also loved ^[a]you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God ^[b]as a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2

This is not an exhaustive list, and I know that as I share my personal list with you, you will undoubtedly have others that come to your mind. Also do not be offended (I will get my self in trouble with family and friends…sorry) if I do not list people that you know, or if I do not mention you…as I have already said this is not an exhaustive list. There are many more!

10 Salvationists That Have Inspired Me…
This isn’t some sort of ranked order, rather this is simply a list that I have currently compiled.
(sorry I may not have pictures for everyone)

1. My Mother and Father – Colonels Dennis and Sharon Strissel

My parents have exemplified godly living to me.
I have witnessed their impact on this army both in the United States as well as in Africa. They have always been servants first. Both my mother and father have been advocates for those without voices and have stood up for the marginalized. I count it an honor to have these two as my parents. They are faithful soldiers even as they head into retirement. They have inspired me to be better, to make the army better, and to never settle for mediocrity when we can, in own selves, do more.

2. Majors Bill and Betsy Cox
If I were asked who exemplifies holiness to me, these two loving people would come to mind. They have been mentors to my wife and me, and like second parents in the army to us.

I know that when I talk to either of them, when I have concerns and problems, they always give careful thought and grace in their responses. They are just genuine people who love the Lord with all of their hearts and it just pours out upon those who are privileged to know them. They make me want to be a better pastor and follower of Christ.

Colonels Dahl restore historical Will Rogers sign at Camp Wonderland.

3. Colonels Marv and Bodil Dahl
Admittedly not the best picture of these two beautiful people, but you must know that Colonel Marv is a painter and despite current physical challenges, he is still a wonderful artist. This picture is recent and both Colonels Bodil and Marv gave 90 hours each to this amazing restoration project.

Words cannot express how encouraging these two saints of God have been to me in this present appointment! These two have been Barnabas’ to us. They are truly servants first and then they offer their wealth of leadership advice! I am inspired by Colonels Dahl because they operate from a place of compassionate care and concern for fellow soldiers and officers. They take the time to listen and they are willing to make time for you.

4. Commissioner Dinsdale Pender
This was years ago. I was just a small boy with parents living on St. Helena Island. My parents where the missionary officers there on St. Helena for four years. I distinctly remember Commissioner Pender coming to the Island for a visit. As the band welcomed him at the seaside docks with a rousing song, he fiddled with his brief case as if attempting to pull out his cornet to play as well. For me the reason he inspired me wasn’t so much what he said, honestly I was a small boy and cannot remember much of that time. But what I do remember of him was his charisma and humor. He made leadership within the Army look smart as well as fun. He always seemed to have a smile and brought a sense of whimsical humor with the concept of leadership.

5. Major Stephen Court and Major Danielle Strickland

Both Stephen and Danielle bring a sense of “in your face” kind of Salvationism that’s been missing in our army for a while (in my opinion). Their ministry has been global, it has challenged me. I truly appreciate their leadership (albeit from afar). I can remember going to a commissioning in which they were the guest speakers. They didn’t hold anything back, and it was powerful. I’m not attempting to puff anyone up here, it was just something I will never forget and it has inspired me within the ministries I have been privileged to lead. Both in their own rights are extremely talented writers and communicators and I admire their willingness to challenge our Army onward!
They are a spark within in our army which has become a catalyst for a new generation of Salvationist!

6. General John Gowans
I remember his leadership as General.
How he spoke of the three legged stool of Salvationism.
His leadership style at times chaffed against some, but I found him to be refreshing. He was a shot in the arm for the Army. He had vigor and passion to see a greater army at work in the world. I admired him and he inspired me to be a better writer and communicator for this army. He also inspired me to push the boundaries of our “bubble” within the Army.

7. TransMission (Southern Territory, USA)
This is the real deal Salvationist. They have a passion to minister to the hearts of young people through music. They are just down to earth guys who love the Lord.

I appreciate how TransMission have incorporated doctrinal truths into their music ministry and their passion and zeal to lead others to Christ is inspiring! Being a movement of holiness, the progression and integration of modern styles of music has planted and watered a seed within a younger generation of Salvationists.

8. Commissioner Clive Adams

Commissioner Clive has been a source of encouragement to me within my officership as well as a writer, contributor and avid fellow blogger that I greatly admire. He is a gifted leader and communicator and another down to earth Soldier who inspires others…plus he’s a fellow Man-United Fan!
When I read his blog postings I am encouraged and enjoy his humor as well as his candid honesty within our Army.
9. Commissioner Harry Read
In my heart I have a special place of poets and Writers.
Commissioner Harry Read is still an avid poet who conjures up lines of thought provoking honesty within the minds of Christ-followers and Soldiers. His ‘Heart-talks’ posted on social media as well as in the printed word inspire me to better articulate this holy path we all walk on. He is a treasure to the army and although I may embarrass him in this post, I admire his ongoing active ministry. He spurs me on, and I am sure he provides this boost in many other Salvationists around the globe.

10. General Albert Orsborn

My life must be Christ’s broken bread
My love His outpoured wine
A cup o’erfilled a table spread
Beneath His name and sign
That other souls refreshed and fed
May share His life through mine
(SASB #512 My Life must be Christ’s Broken Bread)

Obviously I never met General Orsborn, but his words within some of the songs that we still sing in our Army strike me at my core. These lyrics speak to me about holiness, selflessness, servanthood, and what our Army should be all about. I get inspired every time I sing the above mentioned song among others that he has written.

These are just ten Salvationists that have inspired me in my lifetime.
There are many more and, as I have already said, please do not become offended if you or someone you know isn’t mentioned. This is not an exhaustive list.

Question:
Who has inspired you?
Please share your comments below, it is wonderful to hear these rich stories as we testify of God’s redeeming love!

Something more for our Army to ponder today!
To God be the glory, and may we aspire to be all that God has called us to be not only to inspire others but because we deeply desire to be like Christ in every way.

January 27, 2015 3

Dear Salvation Army, Too Much Rhetoric Not Enough Practice??

You don’t have to be in a political office in order to view politics…it’s everywhere including the church.
Church/corps splits have happened because of truly silly things – “the color of the carpet in the sanctuary”…really??

I’m feeling a little feisty today, so please bear with me.

Rhetoric…and Holiness???
The Salvation Army struggles with too much rhetoric and not enough practice sometimes.
What do I mean by this?
We (like any church) are so good at saying all of the right things.
We (like any church) are so good at wearing all the right clothes…ahem the uniform.
We (like any church) are so good at touting our scripture verses and doctrines…but can it become more about outward appearances like when the DC, TC or General comes to visit than about personal/corporate holiness?

Sometimes I feel as if we are very good at polishing the outside of the cup while we just keep neglecting to do the hard stuff like cleaning the inside of the cup (our hearts). We try and try to impress the “brass” with our efforts and works but are we truly living consistently? This isn’t some sort of witch-hunt today. I’m not pointing the finger at anymore more than I am pointing fingers. back. at. myself.

This is Personal…
This is truly personal.
if this resounds with anyone else, then great!
Let’s do something about this together.
I honestly know that I am not the only one who struggles with this.
We are so good at singing ‘the Founder’s Song’ in Holiness meeting and thirty minutes later we’re at our favorite “Sunday Lunch Spot” complaining about the wait time, the server, we barely give a tip and then we complain on our way home about the traffic and some ignorant sap who just cut us off…do you get what I’m saying?

This is Deadly…
I, for one, do not want to be a member of the Salvation Army in Laodicea, if you get what I mean (Revelations 3:14-22).
If I’m honest, I’d rather rip off this uniform and walk away from it all before I start striving to become a pew warmer and a luke-warm one at that. The church of Laodicea, according to Revelation, didn’t get their act together. They didn’t have the passion to serve Christ as His bride. They weren’t on fire for Him, instead they were barely tepid in their faith. Sometimes I feel that in our Army we walk a fine line too. We can utter all of the “catch-phrases” of our Army like “Fire a volley” and “Hallelujah” but on the inside we’re so caught up in the bickering and pettiness that are missing out on the fire of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think we need another Pentecost, it’s already here we are just so caught up in our own issues that we can’t see it…that’s just how I see it…I hope I’m wrong. When did we desire to be a mediocre Army? When did we sign up to warm a pew but as soon as the hard work comes we’re suddenly absent? If we are truly “witnesses for Jesus” why aren’t we more visible with this message in the streets? We cannot hole ourselves up in beautiful Halls of worship and expect the brokeness of neighborhoods to be mended by how well we sing and play an instrument. We’ve got to get on with it! We’ve got to either catch fire and be moved by the Holy Spirit or we need to get out of the way and stop hampering the Spirit and the potential growth of other Soldiers. Either warm up or be spit out.

This is real…
I have felt this sting of conviction.
I don’t write this as a “guilt trip” for anyone before it strikes my heart and brings ME up short first.
We need to stop “playing” army and be army.
We need to stop fighting amongst each other and fight the real war for the souls of those who are lost.
We need to stop spouting half-empty words of rhetoric when our hearts aren’t in it and instead fall upon our faces and recommit ALL OF WHO WE ARE to Christ once more.
We do not need pew warmers and more apathetic bodies in uniforms, instead we need leaders who are servant who will serve and love regardless of where someone came from or what their last name might be.
We don’t have time to play “church politics”…this gets in the way and stunts our growth as a corporate body of holiness.

It’s “Put up” or “Shut-Up” time.
I have seen the walking dead amongst soldiers and officers.
I have seen the passion-less works of apathetic hearts.
I have witnessed the “going through the motions” without a resemblance of the practice of holiness.
We have a choice.
We can either put up or shut up.
We can either live lives worthy of this calling upon our lives, or we can stop pretending and get out of the way.
This is a wake up call.
This is a call to holiness.
This is a reminder that there is more to it than donning on the uniform and spouting all the right words.

How is your heart today?
How is your spiritual journey?
This is something more for our Army to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

January 26, 2015 2

A Pondering On Injustice…

You know what I have trouble with?
Injustices.

Those moments in life when,
both big and small injustices take place.
It is mind boggling that there are people in our world who
truly do not care about other people at all.
It goes far beyond being inconsiderate.
It’s about self-preservation over anyone else’s needs.
These injustices are fueled by greed.
These injustices are fueled by selfishness, power, anger, covetousness…Sometimes I get so angry at these injustices…
If I were truly honest
I get more angry at the people who perpetrate these injustices.
much so that I want to exact my own kind of justice.

So much so that I sometimes imagine watching them regret their decisions
fighting fire with fire
a tooth for a tooth.

Sometimes, in my mind
I take on this role of judge, jury and executioner.
sometimes, I let this fantasy taint how I see other people…
And within that lens
I am better than them.
I am the pious one.
I am the perfect one.
Then I realize that I am a

I have become a ——

So busy looking for
the flaws in others
that I have neglected
to look at my own Heart.

How dare I do such a thing…and yet it’s done every day.
Am I the only one in this —-
Am I the only one?
I don’t think so.
Are there injustices in this world? Should we fight against these?
Yes.
but then I am reminded of another verse:

And I am reminded how lost some people are.
I am reminded that despite our hopeless situations
Christ STILL died for us.
Despite our evil ways.
Despite our ignorance and selfishness
He still died for us.

Then another thing strikes me
like being struck across the face.
I. am. not. the judge.
I am. not. the. one. who. exacts. ultimate. justices.

Can I fight against injustices in this world?
Yes.
But first…I must contend with my own heart.
But first…I must pluck out the board in my own eye.
But first…I must practice sacrificial, Christ-like love for my enemies.

It is here at this cross roads that I continue my journey…

How about you?

January 22, 2015 0

“NOT WORTHLESS!!” 3 Ways to Discovering Your Self-Worth Pt.2

Yesterday we explored three basic lies that many have convinced themselves are important in order have a sense of self-worth. (See Pt. 1 Link Here)
(RECAP) These basic lies are –
#1 Self-worth is all about what you do (Employment/Career).
#2 Self-worth is all about how others see you (the People pleaser trap)
#3 Self-worth is all about being “happy” all the time.

Now onto the “good” stuff – Discovering true self-worth.
You can’t buy self-worth…at least not in the long term.
You can’t work capture self-worth by attaining your “dream job” either.
These things are temporary.

Our Lives Are Like Vapor:
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

Understand how temporal this all is.
I don’t mean to sound all “doom and gloom”, but this life is brief…we can make a difference in how we live by recognizing this one. small. truth.
We. Are. Like. Vapor. So…what are we going to do with this “vapor” of ours?

#1 Our true Self-Worth is found not in who we are but Whose we are!
“And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” -2 Corinthians 6:18

Beyond anything that we can “do” in this world, the most vital argument for finding our true self-worth is tied up with Whose we really are. Places of employment and careers are great things but they shouldn’t be the primary definer of who we really are. From the very onset of creation God longed to fellowship with us. He has made a way for this to happen even when we distorted our true identities with sin. In a very real sense realizing Whose we are leads us to find our true self-worth in life. This doesn’t mean that nothing else matters now in life, it just means that we re-align our perspectives in life allowing for this primal and vital identity to take first priority in our being, thereby releasing false images of self-worth while reclaiming this ancient, yet eternal truth – We are God’s creation, and we are called sons and daughters.

In moments when we feel the sting of rejection by others around us, let us remember that despite all of these things we are His -both first, last and everything in between.

#2 Our true Self-Worth is found not in our identity but in Christ’s!
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” -Galatians 2:20

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” -2 Corinthians 5:17

I hope you get the sense that all three of these “self-worth declarations” are interconnected.
Once we can come to terms with the notion that we are children of God, we too must understand that our self-worth isn’t tied up in the old life prior to conversion. Since Christ has conquered sin and death, we too can share in this eternal redemption story! If we are Christ-followers, we too recognize that the old lives we used to live prior to our salvation story no longer dictate where our self-worth comes from. Before this we followed the ingrained patterns, we indulged in selfish gain, we strive to climb the corporate ladder because that’s where true success and self-worth came from…But now, ah now we are no longer blind to these trappings. It doesn’t mean that we have become better than others, it just means that we have begun to identify with the eternal Christ more than the temporal measures of self-worth.

Becoming crucified with Christ means that we have aligned ourselves with His love, His redemption, His purposes, His grace. We have allowed Christ to replace the lie with His truth within us. This new creation (because of Christ) provides us with a deeper, more clearer sense of self-worth because it is divine and untarnished by our old sinful selves.

Within this identity shift, recognize too that we must be gentle on ourselves. What do I mean by this? Don’t denigrate and berate yourself when you slip and fall back into some of the old patterns. These old habits are sometimes hard to break. That doesn’t mean that Christ can’t miraculously redeem you from them, but many times we must strive to overcome them through His power…sometimes inch by inch and yard by yard. Be gentle on yourself as you realign your self-worth with that of Christ’s. Sometimes we can become our own worst enemy…If Christ believes in you, you too should find some encouragement and confidence to believe in this new creation that is “You”.

#3 Our true Self-Worth is found not in being served but through service!
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you…” 1 Peter 5:6

“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” Ephesians 4:2

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

Jesus washed His disciple’s feet.
He did this to display how vital humility and servanthood was.
Serving others because of our new identities in Christ is an outpouring of this new self-worth and purpose!
No longer are we tied to what others think of us.
No longer are we tied to a self-indulged lifestyle.
No longer are we tied to a selfish success oriented binge of climbing the corporate ladder.

Fame and fortune (which is temporal) take a back seat to the utter gravity of the Salvation Story.
We find our self-worth in serving others because we long to be like Christ in every way!
When we follow this path of servitude, we further execute our old ideals of self-worth while taking up far more significant and eternally impacting cause!

Sometimes we assume that we have this humility thing all worked out, only to find that we still have miles to go in this journey. Be patient. This is day by day. Submitting to Christ completely ~~can be~~ will be difficult…But isn’t identifying with authentic worth…worth it?

So…
How is your own sense of self-worth today?
Has it been tied up with all the wrong things?
Mine has too.
This is a reminder for all of us.
This is a pondering of encouragement also.
Perhaps we can break these old lies of their power over us, and rediscover how God intended us to live all along.

Something more for us all to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

January 21, 2015 2

“NOT WORTHLESS!!” 3 Ways to Discovering Your Self-Worth (Pt. 1)

Self-worth: Many people struggle with this issue in life.
Some people decide that they truly are worthless and in that moment they become full of self-loathing.
At the very least it is counterproductive, at its worst it is a pathway to self-destruction.

Questions:
How do we live this life and feel complete…satisfied?
How can we retain a measure of self-worth when we encounter discouragement?
Are we worth anything?
Do I matter?

These are very common questions that are thrown around.
Sometimes circumstances in life lead people to question their identities and self-worth.
Others grew up being told they were accidents, freaks, or simply that they were “good for nothing”.
NEWS FLASH: These are lies still being told today to people all around the world.

You may feel as if you are all alone in this.
You may feel as though you are truly worthless and if you were to simply “disappear” no one would care.
Please know that this IS A LIE that many tell themselves.

I do not want to delve too deeply into the realms of depression today, but I do want to say that these depths can be extremely dark and lonely and that it is perfectly normal to seek out professional help in the form of counseling!

let me further illustrate the lies that we buy into sometimes in our lives before I include just 3 ways to discovering self-worth again:

3 Lies About Self -Worth

Lie #1: Your self-worth is all about where you work and what you “DO”.
Perhaps if you had a better paying job you could afford nicer things and a nice home…
people always seem to associate self-worth exclusively with where they work and how much money they make. Perhaps having more money might solve some issues in life, but when people place all of their identities into what they do they can discover that at the end of the day they still feel empty and unfulfilled.

NEWS FLASH: What you “DO” shouldn’t be who you are!
What I mean by that is this: The Apostle Paul earned a living as a tent maker while serving as a missionary. Tent maker wasn’t who he was, it was a means of supporting his purpose and calling in life. Jobs may come and go, and often times we place so much power upon what we do that in the process we lose the “who we are”. Our identity in self-worth is so much more than our place of employment. Beyond this, if you are a person of faith and a Christ-follower, our self-worth is inexplicably tied to WHOSE we are and from that the calling He has placed upon our lives…but I will get to that later.

Lie #2: Your self-worth is all about how others see you – the “people-pleaser”
We ought to make a distinction here, there is a big difference between accountability with peers and mentors and the need to constantly seek the approval of others. Our self-worth should not be inexplicably linked to pleasing people. When we connect our happiness with making everyone around us happy, we crash and burn. Being a perpetual people pleaser might provide us some satisfaction and happiness at the onset, but eventually the shine wears off and we will find ourselves constantly running for that applause and approval while at the same time never reaching any personal goals or achievements.

This is where self-care comes in. You cannot help others and be a source to others if you have nothing left in the “tank“. There must be times when you step away and seek out selfishly (in a good way) those things that will restore your energies and confidence in yourself. Jesus got away from His disciples from time to time. He prayed to the Father. I’m sure He reflected too. I’m sure He also replenished His “tank” while in the process. Don’t tie your self-worth exclusively up in the applause and approval of others. Living as a people pleaser is an empty life and will only serve to wear you out both mentally and physically. This “People Pleaser” mentality is a lie that will leave you feeling worthless and spent in an endless pursuit of utter insanity.

Lie #3: Your self-worth is all about being happy all of the time!
This last lie (and I know there are many more) attempts to force us to entertain the erroneous notion that all is not well if we are not happy all of the time. If everything is not candy canes and lollipops something must be wrong. In the Church this lie is sometimes perpetuated by people who think all Christians ought to be smiling and cheerful all of the time. We even sing songs about being happy all the time. The truth is we cannot be perpetually happy every moment of every day…and THAT’S OKAY! Self-worth shouldn’t be about “am I happy all the time?” Happiness is much different that being content. Contentment doesn’t mean that you are constantly cheery and everyone thinks you shine like the sun. Contentment means there is a peace within us. It means that we have found a “sweet spot” in life and we live within that sweet spot. It doesn’t mean there won’t be bad days. It doesn’t mean that we won’t experience sadness either. Being content is vital – being happy all of the time is not…it’s a lie.

Understandably we ought not look like the character Eeyore either, where we’re just mopey and down every moment and we tend to bring other people down…But self worth is more than just experience happiness and smiling so much our jaws ache.

So where does our self-worth come from?
How can we recognize the lies being told about self-worth while striving for a genuine self-fulfilled life?
I am happy you asked.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s edition as we jump into the 3 ways that we discover this important characteristic in all of us.

Until then ponder these words:
“It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him.”
-Abraham Lincoln.
-See you tomorrow!

January 20, 2015 1