Dear Salvation Army, When Do We Hit The Reset Button?…

People have reminded me over and over again that change just for the sake of change isn’t always good…I agree! I am not proposing change just because it’s the “in” thing to do, in fact a lot of things we do in our Army has meaning and significance. But what happens when things lose their meaning, their relevance and vital-ness? What happens when that program, symbol (and or any other thing in our Army) becomes the object of worship? *gasp* Does that even happen? Could it happen?

I doubt something becomes an object of worship intentionally.
I also doubt programs and/or things in our Army lose their significance and meaning quickly, but rather a little over time.

When this happens, isn’t it an indicator that perhaps we have wavered?
Isn’t it an indicator that perhaps we have veered from our course?
Perhaps then the need to hit the reset button becomes paramount.

But are we afraid to push it?
One might wonder if this would change everything.
One might wonder if this would destroy everything.
One might also wonder if they would be known for destroying everything just because they dared to hit the reset button.

Programs In Ministry
Sometimes we do the same thing year after year…once, long ago we had the passion and drive for it, but now it seems as if all we are doing is go through the motions and just “getting it done” because it’s required. What happened to it being fun? What happened to spontaneity? What happened to progress when it just seems we are maintaining?

Is there a point when the program that we’ve been doing for years and years (since Catherine and William were still alive) is just tired, old, repeated, and irrelevant? So when do we hit the reset button? How does that look? Does it mean first me must internally realign our motives and intentions in ministry? -Absolutely!
Does it mean that perhaps we put that spark back into thing…that spark that’s been missing in our ministry for years? -You bet. Do we politely and rather intentionally push for changes to come from our leadership in the Army too? -Of course!

In the past few years a number of reset buttons have been pushed.
Programs like – Home League, Corps Cadets, Junior Soldiers…and so on.
I wonder though if we are really hitting the reset button at all or just relabeling and repackaging the same old thing? No offense to those whose programs are thriving…perhaps we can learn a lot from you!

Questions to Ponder:
When do we hit the reset button on certain programs and things in our ministry?
How do we know that the time is right?
How do we evaluate success and failure?
How do we know if our programs are tired, old, defeated?
How much prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit are we doing?
Are we guilty at times of merely want to change for no good reason?
Are our motives sincere?
Is our mission still intact?

I pray that when the Holy Spirit spurs us into action to step “out of the norm” that we listen.
I pray that we are bold and daring for not only the Army but most importantly for God.
I prayer that we pursue lives not just statistics.
I prayer that we measure our successes not by mere public accolades and government funding, but by lives discipled and transformed by our willingness and His power.

Is it time to hit the reset button in your ministry?
Something more to ponder today!

August 14, 2015 9

Dear Salvation Army, Leading Through Grace Or Fear?

Recently I wrote on the topic of being a leader or a manager
Click link here to read: Are You A Leader Or A Manager?

Today I wanted to expound on this topic.
Just because we are modeled after the military doesn’t mean we are now equipped to bark orders.
If we look hard at our mission and the purpose for which we were created, we would recognize that our mission is about grace and love to those we can reach. I wonder sometimes if we forget our purpose from time to time. Sometimes when power and authority is given to a person it can taint that person, make them “too big for their britches” (as my Grandmother used to say). Power and authority, if not handled correctly, can cause more harm than good. An added measure of humility is needed, as well as the constant reminder that the Holy Spirit is really who is in charge…and drives us to do the mighty work that we do.

Let me dissect this issue this morning, and I’m not saying this happens all the time, but it does happen from time to time in our Army and we need to be aware of it!

Leading through Fear:
When a leader (Local Officer, Corps Officer, Divisional Officer, Territorial Officer) leads through fear and intimidation a few things take place – sure, the “fear of God” is put into those they “Command”, but so does resentment, reluctance in making any further decisions, and innovative/creative thinking takes a back seat. This goes back to being a manger instead of a leader. A manager has the tendency to micromanage everything and does not allow those who work under them to claim part of the ownership within the mission. When the micromanaging takes place the workers or those subordinate to the manager feel as if the manager is lurking over their shoulder all the time and will pull back from being proactive for fear of not adhering to the manager’s vision. You see when leading through fear, generally it’s not about a shared vision, it is about perceived forced vision that only one can manage and the rest must fall in line. This is not a consultative democracy by any means, rather this model represents a fearful authoritative model of management.

Leading through fear might garner results, but it also suffocates ingenuity, creative planning and incorporating others into the vision. As an Army, many of us have witnessed this type of leadership whether at the corps level, at the divisional level or beyond. Sure, perceived strength in that “leader” might occur, but a stronger model brings others along to accomplish the mission not by wrangling, forcing and demanding.

Leading through Grace:
I recall one such leader in my life.
He was giving me feedback on my performance, and in the midst of his honest and candid critique he actually wept when praying for my wife and me. It was touching, it was genuine…it wasn’t business as usual, this leader actually cared for us and wanted us to become the best leaders we could possibly be. Was this leader a “pushover”? No way! He could be firm when he needed to be, but many times his leadership exuded a godly example of grace and love for those he led.

Leading through grace doesn’t mean subordinates can do whatever they want and there is little to no accountability, rather this type of leadership (not management) provides kind and loving direction so that not only the mission can be completed but a shared vision can be cultivated.

It is weakness not strength that dictates to managers that they must exert their authority and “put the fear of God” into a subordinate.
It is weakness not strength that commands respect, when respect is earned by working alongside one another.
It is weakness not strength that requires telling people what to do over consulting them and finding the solution to issues together in order to accomplish the same holy mission.

Let me say something controversial here for a moment –
The Salvation Army needs fewer managers who lead through fear and intimidation and more leaders who will lead by example and lead through grace! Perhaps that isn’t so controversial at all…perhaps this is already happening. I believe that the time of fear mongering “leadership” within our Army is at an end. I believe that if we are to better our Army, more grace must be exercised. More love exuded. More honesty and ownership of the mission. We cannot rely on some of our failed models of leadership to usher us into the present and future.

Some might think this is completely and totally directed and executive leadership, but I beg to differ. This is directed at anyone and everyone who might pick up a mantle of leadership from the local officer level all the way up to the office of General. How we choose to lead makes a HUGE difference!

So what will it be?
Leadership built on Fear or Leadership built on Grace?
Grace still has accountability.
Grace still has difficult conversations.
Grace still commands respect (more so than fear ever did).

I hope we all aspire to be the kinds of leaders that exude grace and love…let’s put down the iron fist.
Something more for our Army world to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

July 23, 2015 2

Dear Salvation Army, Earthquakes, Fires, Disaster…We Are There!

Today I write with encouragement.
Today I take off my critical lenses on this army that I love and I wish to encourage you.
Every one of these entries on pastorsponderings known as “Dear Salvation Army” has a purpose. All of these postings and articles are intentional and purposeful. All of them are constructive in nature, geared for the purposes of improving our Army, not tearing it down. I want us to work together in this. I want us to march onward (so to speak) and continue to win souls for Christ. If we lose this momentum we will fail at our mission. If we lose this momentum we will never achieve our vision.

Today: (News From IHQ)
http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/news/inr290415
Nepal.
The Salvation Army is in Nepal.
We are providing aid and much needed funds and supplies.
I know that we care.
I know that lives matter.
I know that it’s not just about winning souls, but taking care of men, women and children.
What happened to one of the poorest, most congested cities in the world is horrible…but I know that we, among others, are there!

When utter disaster faces occurs, people are desperate for help.
We can be that source.
We can be that life line.
We are that life line.

I am not painting a perfect picture of The Salvation Army.
I am not proclaiming us “the best organization” in the world.
I am not saying “look at us, look at us”…BUT I believe God has placed us here to be His hands and feet to the world. We have access to many places in the world where other organizations can’t go. Our soldiers are on the ground in some of the most remote places in the world. This is no accident. This is no coincidence. I firmly believe that God has placed us in those places. How we react and how we offer salve to those hurts matters!

Questions to Ponder:
Has God called you to serve in this Army?
Are you responding to His calling every day?
Will you go if He tells you to go?
What can you do for Him?

May it never be about how flashy or how good we look in a uniform, but may it always be about responding to God’s calling in faithfulness, humility and love. When everything is stripped away, may our Army of Salvation be genuine…may our Army be true…may our Army be forever compassionate to the hurting and the lost wheresoever they may live in our world.

Will you be there?
Will we provide aid, love, hope, compassion, joy, light?
Something more for our Army to ponder today!

Please keep Nepal in your prayers, and seek out ways that you can support these vital efforts!
To God be the glory!

For more links and ways to help please visit the sites below:
https://secure20.salvationarmy.org/donation.jsp
http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/nepalearthquake;jsessionid=BC2A283C79B7CC9AB73273B5C55AA3AD
https://secure20.salvationarmy.org/donation.jsp?projectId=IHQ-NepalEarthquake

April 29, 2015 0

Burn Your Ships And Commit!

The History Lesson
In 1519 Hernan Cortes, Spanish explorer, landed on Mexican soil.
He and his 600 Spanish troops were commissioned to take Mexico for Spain.
In a swift move to stave off any thoughts of retreat, he commanded that his fleet be burned.

Can you imagine being one of those six hundred men on alien soil standing there watching your only lifeline to the ‘old life’ being burned at sea. The only recourse was to make progress deeper into this unknown land; to fight, survive and claim it for the crown. The ships were gone, they had to fully commit or die.

For Us.
I am not justifying any other actions of Cortes.
Some of his decisions were down right brutal.
That being said, I do believe that there is something here for us today.

Spiritually speaking…
Have we burned our ships in the act of a full commitment to Christ?
Or
Are we still looking back longingly at the places that we used to live before we accepted this new life in the form of Salvation? Do we (even subconsciously) consider this “commitment” to be temporary while all along we have a fall back plan in case it just doesn’t pan out?

I believe even Jesus had disciples in His day that had one foot in the new life while the other foot was still firmly grounded in the old.

Read:
(Luke 9:57-62)

The Cost of Following Jesus
⁵⁷As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. ⁵⁹He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” ⁶²Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

The cost of following Christ is high!
The commitment level of such a calling is total or none at all.
We cannot have one foot in the new life while our other foot is firmly planted in the old life.
Either we are all in or we are not in at all.

Perhaps it is time that we burned the ships.
Perhaps it is time to burn that which holds us back from making that full commitment to Christ.
Don’t allow those things to pull you in two different directions any longer.
His path, His calling is the path of true peace, of true redemption, of true love.
When we burn the ships, we can no longer turn back from His will for our lives.
He wants a relationship with us that requires a full commitment.
So, how about it, are we willing to burn the ships?

Something more to ponder today!

April 20, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, The Voice of Dissonance?

Is there such a thing within our ranks as a dissonant voice?
Is this even something considered?
Sometimes I wonder if individuality can be present within a quasi-militant organizational model such as ours.
Is there ever a place for such a voice?
Can iron sharpen iron without healthy friction?
Is punishment instantly doled out to those with a conflicting voice?

By dissonant I don’t mean a voice of extreme dissent or open rebellion, I mean one who has constructive things to say to the organization as a whole…is this possible? Does that voice really matter? Does the Army still need dissonant voices? Will those voices really make a difference? Or does it sort of resemble this:

I do not wish to throw gasoline onto a fire.
I do not wish to lick an open wound (I know, gross euphemism…sorry).
But I do wonder what sort of place these dissonant voices have in an army that often times spurns abnormal or divergent (sorry book/movie series) soldiers?

Worst Case Scenario of Dissonance:
Divergent, dissonant voices are expelled, sometimes publicly, sometimes quietly with little to no fanfare.
They are driven further and further away from sources of influence and squeezed until they either capitulate or comply to the common “group think”. Hence the “my way or the highway” leadership model. Decisions made by leadership within this scenario do not handle constructive criticism of any kind, and will lash out and punish anyone who raises pertinent questions that challenge the present leadership and its decision.

Best Case Scenario of Dissonance:
Divergent/dissonant voices are listened to, constructive criticism is welcomed in order to make the Army better. Leaders still lead and make the decisions but welcome other voices to help make the organization better. One can still agree to disagree but without the fear of retribution of faulty, insecure leadership. The best case scenario is not the easiest for the organization, but would preserve its constituency while providing ownership to the “group”. BUT…Pick Your Battles!
Dissonant voices can become just like traffic noise if not careful on what battles are waged through constructive criticism. Traffic noise is loud and indicate when someone is coming, but if you constantly live with the noise, it will eventually become tuned out and ignored. If one constantly challenges authority and argues with every voice of reason and “unreason” that voice will eventually lose all power and credibility. If you must challenge authority and leadership…pick your battles and make sure you look for traffic!

Organizational Questions to consider:
Are there times when the voice of dissonance is needed in our Army?
What can one do to ensure dissonant voices of concern are listened to?
How can we tell when we have become the one in need of listening instead of speaking?
Does this army have room to grow and to become better defined and equipped?
How does one know which battles to pick?
When does pride become our blinder and prohibit us from seeing the “big picture” or the “other side”?

The Resonating Dissonance…
In the grand scheme of things, The Salvation Army was born from such a voice.
William and Catherine Booth began this mission because it seemed that no one else would.
They moved from the “accepted” group think into something new, and the transitional go between was this voice of dissonance. Jesus was a dissonant voice in His day. He, at times, upset the “group think”. He challenged the “law”. His way was obviously divine, life saving, deeply personal and yet salvation for the whole wide world. How can we become a resonating voice of dissonance in our world? How can we bring into the focus the need to become better aligned with Christ? How can we align our harmony with the orchestra of God? Can this army thrive within THAT voice again? I believe that we can. I believe that it isn’t too late for that. May we strive to be an ever forward moving army! May we guide the wounded hearts to Christ. May we never stand in the way of His Holy Presence and His moving in this body of Christ! May we use our voices both as individuals as well as an Army to make the name of Christ resound, so that hope is given, love is shared and joy, unspeakable joy is forever dispersed among His people.

Something more for this Army to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

March 23, 2015 5

Being Joyful In Hope…A Way Of Living

The List Of “Maybes”…
Maybe:
<You are going through a tough time right now.
<You are just having a bad day.
<You have been in this dry, barren desert from some time now.
<You are on the brink of giving up.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” -Romans 12:12
Here is some encouragement for you today, and let me unpack it for you.

Hope:
Hope isn’t some wish that is granted by rubbing a genie bottle.
Hope is not about “Wishing” my day would get better.
Hope isn’t about dreaming a “better you” either.
Hope isn’t found by fully relying on one’s self. Hope is provided. It is bestowed upon us. Hope, like grace is a characteristic of God. He gave us life, and now He is providing us a way to live it to its fullest. Faith has a way of stretching us. It propels us far beyond our comprehension of “what’s possible and available” to us. Faith, not in ourselves, but in Christ plants the seeds of hope in our heart. When we have this rootedness in Christ, we will begin to finally see beyond the temporalness of life. We can begin to see a bigger picture. We can start to scratch the surface of a hope that comes from God.

Patient in Affliction:
Joy isn’t about being happy. Sure, happiness is great…but sometimes it’s a limited time run.
We do go through difficulties in life.
We will not always be happy.
It is a myth that Christians MUST be happy all the time.
How is that even possible? It would look awfully strange at sad events like funerals to be laughing with happiness in the corner wouldn’t it?
Truths:
We will experience sadness as Christians.
We will endure afflictions too.
Happiness is not the same thing as joy.
Joy, like Hope is provided to us by the source of joy – God himself.
So that despite the situation, both good or bad, we might still retain joy within our souls.

The Heart of the Pondering Today:
I do not know what you are going through today, but I do know that despite the turbulence of life, despite the upheaval that happens from time to time – Hoping in the Almighty provides us joy and endurance through it all. Can you trust in a God who is overall? Can you hope in an everlasting joy instead of a temporary fix of happiness? I’m not saying don’t be happy ever again, but we can tap into something so much more powerful and lasting than short bursts of a disappointing type of instant gratification happiness.

To begin, we have to be willing to let go of the things we cannot control.
It isn’t easy to let go of anything, let a lone a perceived type of control in life, yet, through prayer, through faith we will begin to see a hope that will restore our souls and place us completely submitted to God…in everything, every area of our lives. This is probably the hardest thing for any of us to do, but when we do let go and when we submit to His purposes for our lives, the dynamic changes and we can experience this joyfulness in hope.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I pray for so many today who are experiencing doubt, despair and depression. I pray for strength in my own life today. Please provide us endurance as we place our all before you in complete submission. Teach us what being joyful in hope looks like. Reveal to us Your joy even in the midst of our dark valleys, Lord. Be near us, and help us to live this life that you have called us to. -Amen.

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

February 6, 2015 0

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. 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

At Christmas (A poem)

I’m keeping warm, this heart of mine
in winter’s air, this soul repines,
these bones, but brittle glory be
the wonders of His love to see.

I dare not miss nor neglect this grace
and lose out on heavn’s holy place
a song of praise, a song of peace
a hope of joy will never cease.

And so I glimpse into that stable
the Son of God, no, not a fable.
A gift of hope, of love divine
salvation givn’ to all mankind.
SEStrissel 12-19-14

December 19, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army, Nativity or Negativity?

It is easy to do.
To dwell upon negative comments.
To feast upon the criticism.
Somethings are just not good enough for anyone.
Let’s face it, you just cannot please everyone all of the time.

But…
why do we allow the negativity of others to penetrate our defenses?
why do we have to have defenses in the first place?
why do we have to constantly be on guard?

In this season of joyful anticipation and as we reflect upon Christ’s birth once more, chances are we will face negativity, harsh comments and barbed words. It is easy to become jaded during a very arduous season!
Even though this season has been conveniently coined “the season of giving”, sometimes what people give is pain, words that are sharpened to a point, and sadness. Many times, dear soldier, we work and work and work to help people in need only to face a moment of criticism by someone and it all seems to crash to ground like a house of cards. Do you know what I’m talking about today? Have you experienced this? Perhaps this negativity comes in the form of one we are trying to give generously to who spurns our efforts because it doesn’t meet their standards. Perhaps it comes in the form of a volunteer who criticizes the way that you have organized and led this ragtag group of ‘do-gooders’. In one fell swoop your anticipation for that ‘warm fuzzies’ in the stomach while helping those in need is left dangling upon an open pit of flames as you utter sarcastically under your breath “thanks a lot!”

I hope I’m not painting a scene of hopelessness here today for you. That is not my purpose in writing this, dear soldier.
My purpose for writing this is to remind us all that we aren’t working for the ‘chin nods‘ and approval of people, we are working (because of faith) in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are attempting to emulate His selflessness in our sometimes feeble attempts. That doesn’t mean that we don’t keep the standards high in our preparations and organization, but it does mean that our attempts at helping those in need; our attempts at raising funds and giving love and hope to those without love and hope should be impervious to destructive criticism and harsh judgments upon us. The reality is that because we have invested and given ourselves completely over to these tasks, we will take these slings and arrows very personally.

A reminder:
Man isn’t your judge in terms of the service that you give to God.
You serve a higher calling. You are set apart. You matter. You have value!
Negativity will come. Destructive criticism (not to be confused with constructive God-honoring accountability) will come.
We will not please everyone in these efforts of mercy, hope and love. Some will come to us to rage just because they enjoy raging.

Remember:
It’s sounds cliche’, tired and old, but remember Christ this Christmas.
Don’t get dragged down into the pits of negativity.
Don’t wallow in these places.
They will never make you into the person God has called you to be.
These places will only serve to make you bitter and burned out.
Take time to get away for even a few minutes.
Catch your breath.
Pray.
Feast on His promises.
Remember the birth of Christ.
Read it again. Chew on the lessons within the text. Apply humility and love in your responses when all you want to do is rage back.

Dear Soldier, remember
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

All my work is for the Master,
He is all my heart’s desire;
O that he may count me faithful
In the day that tries by fire!
(SASB 522, chorus)

Something more for our Army to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

December 17, 2014 1

Tag: Hope