A different kind of revolution

We know Jesus as Savior, as Lord, as a perfect teacher. But rarely do we view him as a revolutionary.

Almost everything he did was completely opposite what others expected. At first, the zealots hoped that he would be their “go to” guy, the one who would step into the political arena and restore government. Finally.

But, to their dismay, he acted like he could care less about politics.

Instead, he came not to overthrow the government, he came to overthrow the grip of sin. His cleaning out of the Old Guard had more to do with the stain of humanity than the Roman swords. At last, Jesus offered a way out of the rut of simple lifelessness.

His teachings are full of living waters of life. And since he spoke them, bilions have drunk from them. Their refreshment has been real.

But few of us have taken the words of Christ to the next level. Few have allowed themselves the deep submersion into the pool of life. Most of us are content to idly sip on Sunday morning or over an inspirational book or an occasional Bible Study.

What a different world we would live in if Christians would take heed to the commands like:
"Be at peace with all men"
"Die Daily to self"
"Submit to Authority"
"Turn the Other cheek"
"Love your neighbor"

Jesus spoke of another kingdom. He spoke of a life on this planet that was unlike any other experienced. His words are nothing without those who are willing to live out the life.

So how about you? What's keeping you from living out this revolution in your home, your neighborhood, and your workplace?

Leave your comment here.

Profanity at work -- Does it belong?

Shrinking the Camel brought up "salty language" in a recent post and World magazine had a discussion about swearing and the Christian.

This got us to thinking about some things we have talked about before: Cussing at work.

A British study says that regular swearing at work can help boost team spirit among staff.

According to the researchers, studied the use of profanity in the workplace allows workers to better express themselves and develop better social relationships.The study suggests that swearing in front of customers should be seriously discouraged or banned, but in other circumstances it can “help foster solidarity” with peers.

We say “bull.”

There are far too many people who use their mouths instead of their brains. Many a manager has adopted profanity instead of persuasion to lead. Instead of controlling ones emotions, cussing demonstrates a lack of control. Depending on shock language demonstrates a severe lack of intelligence, verbal skill, and creativity.

And for the Red Letter Believer, the Christian who is trying to live out their faith, it is never acceptable. Your words indicate your heart.Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

And James admits, “We all stumble in many ways,” but he also identifies the biggest stumbling block “Those who are never at fault in what they say are perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.” He likens the tongue to a bridle on a horse.

Some say that businesses have no business allowing potty talk – and have banned it.One entrepreneur, has even began a consulting firm where he helps clients cut down on cussing."Even though swearing is common,” says James O'Connor, president of O'Connor Communications. “I don't think it's appropriate in the office. I think it expresses negativity."Connors believes cussing comes from “laziness and negative attitudes.”

"If you show you have emotional control, you look more professional and are more likely to earn respect from people," he said.

We need to rise above the coarse culture – and it starts with our tongues.Ephesians 5:4 says, “Let there be no be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”

The divine discontent

G.K. Chesterson writes about the “divine discontent.”

"That’s the feeling that there is more to this life than just living. It’s the nagging that this world is not our home. It’s the romance of the heart from the Almighty."


Are you "unsettled." Is it possible that your discomfort is divine in nature, or is it just because you are not content? Share your thoughts here.

Apathy

Image via Wikipedia

"I, the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with the people who do not care."

-- The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

“What’s the difference between ignorance and apathy? ”
“I don’t know and I don’t care.
-- Mother Goose and Grimm

As much as we would like to say we care about the world around us, our actions tell us otherwise.

Despite our verbal fervor for all things right and true, when push comes to shove, We shirk our duties. We shrink from hard truth. We fade away in the bright light.

Apathy attacks our core, it destroys our good intentions, it muddies our motives. It derails our passion.

But Jesus had something to say about apathy -- and it's something he can't stand. Either be hot. Or you can be cold. But dancing around, walking the fence, toeing the line, straddling both sides is like spit from the Savior.

What do you think about apathy? Comment here.

Chains

There was a man who was intrigued by circus elephants and actually got a chance to go backstage.

The baby elephant was held in place with a huge screw type stake and a heavy chain that kept him close. He fought and pulled and yanked to no avail. The mother however, sat content to the side, held only with a rope tied to the fence.

You see, she had been for years tied to that same stake with a heavy chain until she finally quit fighting. Now, she could have run through the circus, escaping to the main street and finding the nearest village.

But the desire for flight was gone.

She has resigned herself to being chained without realizing that freedom was at hand. Her past was determining her present.

Could today be your independence day. Will today be the day that Jesus frees you from the chains that hold you back? Or will you cling to the past -- even though you are free?

"He has annointed Me to… proclaim freedom for the prisoners … to release the oppressed…" -- Luke 4:18

Would you care to comment here on your chains?

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Photo @2009, David Rupert, please do not reproduce without permission

Someone's Got To Go

Fox has ordered a new reality show called Someone’s Gotta Go,

where employees choose which of their colleagues to lay off.

It plays off the long-running Survivor series, but it brings it to a familiar place -- the office. And it plays off a very real worry -- layoffs.

Advertising Age asks, "Does America want to see people being fired by their own colleagues?"

Our take is, "yes, they will." Our nation has a morbid fascination with watching others suffer. It plays into our sense of self-worth when we see others hurt. While we might wince, we are thinking all the while, "I'm glad it's not me."

Right now, unemployment is hovering near 9 percent. We all have had friends who have been laid off. Every one of them cuts -- but deep inside, we are thankful we were spared.

So, is it possible that this show just might be a success? Tell us What do you think?

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A shipwrecked people

We are a shipwrecked people, swamped by the raging seas.Desperately we look for something to cling to, a plank of hope.

We know that hope isn't our money.
We know it's not our fortune.
We know it’s not our good looks.
We know it's not our family connection.
We know it’s not our jobs.
We have tried all of those things, and they just cause us to sink into the dark oceanic abyss.

Instead, we find salvation in the Master, who told us that finding him was like discovering a "pearl of great price, a treasure in a field, or a coin thought lost."

And landlocked people can be shipwrecked,too. The landlocked think they are secure with their homes, their credit cards, their storehouses, and their self-interest. But they will soon be swallowed by the tide and lost -- just like us.

There is no shame in our condition – Jesus said unless we come as little children,we would never enter into his rest.

We need a plank of wood to hold on to.
We need salvation.
We need Jesus.

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Chasing the wind, Part 2, "Striving for Money"

While it is only natural to look at our wages and our paychecks -- after all, they put food on the talbe --an obsession with money and employment leads to wrong-headed decisions.
One foolish way to work is to do it solely for money.

If you choose a job based strictly on the salary, you will be disappointed!

This story illustrates it best:

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large Yellow Fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The man replied "only a little while."

The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?

"I have enough to support my family," the fisherman said.

The businessman asked him what he did with the rest of his.

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat, with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, senor?"

The American grinned and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions, senor? Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

What do you think? Have you ever picked a job for money, and then regretted it? Tell your story here.

Chasing the wind, Part 1

"You want a prediction about the weather? I'll give you a winter prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life”.
-- Bill Murray, Groundhog Day

Bill Murray uttered those iconic, hollow words in the movie, Groundhog Day. The premise of the movie is that his calendar was stuck. Every day, he had the same conversations, the same events, the same dreary world. He lived out the same experience every day.

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a king given the curse to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down. He had to repeat this endeavor of uselessness for all eternity. Can you relate?

Solomon utters in Ecclesiastes 1:2, "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."

How often do you just want to stay in bed? You don't want to face the rat cage of life. Questioning the worth of it all, you can't face the world because feel like you can't make one iota of difference.

Solomon fought to find purpose in the world systems, in learning and in accomplishment. He looked for that meaning in his vast empire. He looked for purpose in relationships and pleasure. What he was really looking for was a replacement for God.

How about you? Comment here.

Photo, David Rupert

Part 2 coming....

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Go ahead

Take a look around.

Go ahead.

Look at the grasses pushing up through the soil, crushed by winter's snow and cold.
Look at the fuzzy blossoms on the tree outside.
Look at the heavens - a billion stars - probably more.
Look at the smile of an infant.
Look at the smile of a grandmother.
Look at your own face.

Go ahead.

Think about when time ends.
Now think about it real hard, till your mind says 'enough.'
Think about the edge of space
Harder
You probably can't quite comprehend it.

Go ahead.

Think about God.
It's okay.
He's the answer to what we see and feel all around us.
There is a giant headline in the sky that says "There is a Creator."
And there is a deep whisper in your heard that says the same thing.

Go ahead.

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