"Happy Holidays?" How sensitive should we be?

Are you a "Happy Holiday's" kind of person? After all, why offend? But consider this fact. The total number of "non-Christians" in America add up to less than 10 million people, which is around three percent of the population, according to Dinesh D'Souza. 

We know that many in the raw numbers of self-professing "Christians" are those those who really don't have a clue. But those who truly are "offended" at the Christian message are a very small minority.

In terms of religious background, America is no more diverse today than it was in the 19^th century. So is it really necessary to cow tail to secularists? To keep things nice for those who don't share our way of faith? 

During Christmas, we are extra careful with our "Happy Holidays” and winter wonderlands. We are ultra sensitive to those that don't believe, changing our messages and our actions to be kind to those who don't believe. And how about work? Most of us are especially cautious here, making sure our words don't constitute "harassment" of any sort.

Here's the question. Should the true Christian, the walking, talking Red Letter Believer, be more concerned about speaking the truth, or more concerned about speaking it in love? What's your opinion? Or is Christmas so commercialized that none of this matters?

 Comment here.

Find your passion in work

"Our society has developed a knack for portraying work as a curse and the need to work as a misfortune."

So begins a wonderful letter to the editor in the Nov. 25 USA Today from Patricia Romeo of Cincinnati, OH.

"The 'take this job and shove it' attitude has been around for a long time. Today, the unemployment rate is more than 10 percent. Now that jobs are scare, I am very thankful to have one."

"Whether you are a plumber, a waitress or a business professional, workign with passion provides great satisfaction. I am often moved by people who find passion in their jobs.

She continues:
"This year, I am going to give my work the passion it deserves. i am going to exude pride as I manage my daily tasks like labors of love. Work is a privilege, and to acheive satisfaction when finishing a task completes me as a person."

"My hope is that , some day, every American will have the opportunity to share in the joys that work provides."

All I can say, is "Amen."

Comment here.

Thanksgiving prayer: "Thanks for the robbery"

Matthew Henry wrote a prayer of thanks on the night he was robbed.

If it were me, I would have asked for divine intervention, rapid aphrension, a swift trial and a no-nonsense judge.

But Henry's prayer was one of thanksgiving.

"I thank Thee. First, because I was never robbed before

Second, because altho' they took my belongings, they did not take my life.

Third, altho' they took everything I had, it was not much.

And fourth, becuase it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed."

In other words, Thanks for the robbery!

Kurt Warner: Red Letter Athlete

The world of professional sports is no doubt one that would be extremely difficult for a Christian. The fame and adulation that we, as fans, heap on these mere humans would take a great deal of god's-mainintain-and-sustaining humility to prevent the fall.

The money. The fans. The road. The temptations are many.

Kurt Warner's road to faith has been a welcome story in the normal world of NFL thuggery. The Arizona Cardinals quarterback is known for on-field prowess, and his off-field giving and sharing in the name of Christ. USA Weekend honored him as the "2009 Most Caring Athlete."

The story tells of his unlikely rise to fame, starting as grocery stock boy before getting a shot with the St. Louis Rams. He hung in there. He met his wife, Brenda at a country western bar, and even though she had two special needs kids, he continued to pursue her.

His conversion occured in 1996. "We simply put our lives in God's hands. Since then, we have sought to share ourselves and our faith and to touch other people's lives."

Touch he does. The article lists all of his efforts through his First Things First Foundation and says that he makes "no apologies for using his fame to reach more people with the Christian message."

Is Warner the real deal, or are we just hero worshipping?

What do you think?
Click here.

“What does God expect of me?”

Cover via Amazon

What does God want from me? You might be surprised, but whatever you think it is, it's really not enough.

"Belief is not enough

Worship is not enough

Personal morality is not enough.

Christian community is not enough

God has always demanded more”

n Rich Stearns

The Hole in Our Gospel

You say you follow Him, but do you really?

What does God expect of those who say they are his followers? We have created a whole list of things, many forged by the modern concept of Christianity. Some of our expectations we have include a moment of personal salvation, regular church attendance, moral living and right thinking, among other things.

But the real test is not in what we think He expects. The test is in what He tells to do.

He wants everything.
"Take up your cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24)

He wants our faith to not be a separate experience from our work, school home or community. He wants our faith to be lived out in real life. He wants it to infuse our thoughts, our motives, and our actions. He wants it to spice our language and thoughts. He wants it visible, lived out in those around us.

He wants faith that goes beyond mere words, simple faith or easy talk.

He wants all of you

Comment here.

You got questions? Here's a place to ask them

The WTFDIB portal is a place where anyone can ask any question about Christianity or the Bible. Other Christians can then reply to the question with helpful responses, links and bible verses.

Here's a summary of WTFDIB's features:

• Anonymous posting option
• Up/down voting on questions and answers
• Full keyword text searching
• Ability to post Bible verse snippets from eight different translations
• Response ranking tool to categorize question responses
• Daily human moderation to keep things clean
• Favorites list to bookmark questions you're interested in
• Customizable auto-responder to alert you when a question response is posted
• Links on each question to help you share the question on popular sites and with your friends

I don't know how good the answers will be, but it's a worthy effort at bringing answers to the questions we all have. Check it out here.

Don't be a nuisance

"A human being must have occupation if he or she is not to become a nuisance to the world."


-- Dorothy L. Sayers

Your conscience or your job

What would you do if you were required to do something that violated your beliefs, your principles, or your faith? And to say ‘no’ meant unemployment?

Such dilemmas, thankfully, are few in this great nation. Generally, we have a toleration of beliefs that allow those who hold strongly held beliefs to find a workaround.

During the Revolutionary War, Quakers who refused to bear arms assisted in other ways, such as raising money and working in field hospitals. Seventh-Day Adventists who cannot work on Saturday’s are allowed to fill shifts on other days. Muslim checkers in grocery stores in Minneapolis aren’t required to scan pork.

We find ways to make it work.

But it’s becoming increasingly difficult, with employers strapped for resources. They are stepping in and ignoring even the most basic of accommodations. So now, many groups are looking for legislative relief. The Oregon legislature recently passed Workplace Religious Freedom Act, which obligates employers to reasonably attempts to accommodate sincerely-held religious beliefs and practices of employees. There are other state and national efforts.

What is the obligation of the Christ follower? I believe we shouldn’t specifically choose professions that might cause a conflict. Don’t go to Bartending School if you have an issue with alchohol. Don’t work at social services if you have a problem with promoting slothfulness. Don’t work as a stripper if you want to keep your clothes on. Don’t take a job that requires you to work weekends if you believe in keeping the Sabbath holy.

I knew a letter carrier who refused to deliver Victoria’s Secret catalogues. I knew another guy who worked at a convenience store who tried to get out of selling cigarettes. And yet another friend who took a job at a video store who complained about the kinds of movies he had to process.

But it isn’t always so black and white. A contentious issue involves the abortion hot button. A number of Christian pharmacists were concerned that they would have to provide The Morning After abortion pill.

They, and other health care providers, were protected by the Provider Conscience Regulation, which shielded health care professionals who are morally opposed to certain procedures to opt out. But that regulation is opposed by the current administration and may be overturned.

What do you think? Is the employer’s responsibility to accommodate? Or is it the employee’s responsibility to either suck it up, or get another job? Leave your comment here.

Is God on my team?

It’s a common thing in sports for well-meaning players to give God praise in post-game interviews.

There are many athletes who offer prayer in tough situations. Cornerback Deon Sanders said this “When it's fourth down, I pray. I'm seeking God's help. I also pray that opposing quarterbacks will throw me the ball.” The quandary comes in when the quarterback is praying for a completion, not an interception.

We are glad that people are vocal about their faith. It’s a genuine attempt to connect their ability with sovereignty, but it can send the wrong message. Does God really determine who wins? Is it right to pray for victory, for success in our vocation?

And this question filters to our own lives. If we believe that God cares about our workplace, then Red Letter Believers naturally shouldpray for business success, for sales to come through, for our endeavors to be blessed.

Athletes – and people in the marketplace – should not be afraid to ask for God’s blessing. But we should realize that his blessing can be found even in failure, in brokenness. He is far more concerned about our character, our development as his children than the success of the world.

What do you think? Do you pray for blessing? Do you pray for your ‘team’ to win? Comment here.

When work leaves you empty

We are honored that The High Calling published the following article.

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I have observed that there is an underlying narcissism in much of today’s workforce. A certain degree of vanity and self-absorption has corrupted our employment view. We go to work, not to contribute, but to find our own self-importance and worth. We punch in, only to wonder why the focus isn't on us.

High Calling Blogger Every Square Inch has a great post on those jobs that are less than personally satisfying, and how God’s hand may very well be part of that.

Increasingly, the expectations of the workplace have been elevated. Many people think that work is meant to cater to personal lifestyles with ample free time, invigorating creative stimulation, and opportunity for self-expression.

Many dot.coms feed this trend with play days, catered meals, and scheduled Frisbee breaks.

And then there’s the general desire to not “work for the man,” avoiding corporate culture in lieu of non-profits or small start-ups.

But the economic realities mean that these happy workplaces are increasingly rare. The drive for profits and bettering the bottom line are insatiable, taking many well-meaning Christ following employees into worlds they never thought they would be.

In “Why God May Will an Unsatisfying Job,” Every Square Inch concludes that this kind of work may produce one of three things:

• It can lead us to center our joy in Christ instead of work
• It can sanctify us, teaching us character
• It can remind us that this world is no our home, that indeed, we have another kingdom that we can anticipate.

"God will redeem us and bring us to a place of rich, fulfilling labor. We can cast our eyes heavenward and trust that His work in the past and currently will bring this to pass. We can be truly optimistic and hopeful when we consider the future."

Read the entire post here, and don’t forget to leave a comment.

Recommended by David Rupert of Red Letter Believers

Photo by Life magazine, used with permission


Read the whole post here.

Excuse me? Respect in the workplace

I remember the day when I called my boss, “Mr.” And I’m not that old. But it was a sign of respect. Now, such formality is dismissed, “Mr. Williams is my dad, just call me ‘Roy.’”

So, he becomes Roy and I lose a little piece of the wall of respect that a boss should receive.

When he gives me direction, I say, “yes, sir.” It’s polite. It’s respectful. Roy doesn’t like that either. “This isn’t the military.”

So the work atmosphere is downright chummy. We are no longer a boss and a subordinate. We are two equal cogs in the machine. We are two guys who roll up their sleeves to get it done. We are two soldiers in the same foxhole. The only difference between us is that he gets paid more than I do because he's responsible for the operation. Roy's good for that.

Is this a good thing?

This lack of a wall of respect between the manager and the worker has fallen in many other ways as well. Let's look at outside common interests. Called fraternization in the military, it has actually morphed in to team building and comraderie in today's world. But I don't think it's healthy for a boss shouldn’t socialize with his employees. It sets a bad precedent. It encourages wagging tongues. It feeds gossip. It suggests the boss is playing favorites. It supposed to build teamwork. But it can build resentment.

What do you think about respect in the workplace? Are you old school? Or are you a modern, casual worker. Why? Leave your comment here.

More than a J.O.B.

The venerable and wise Chuck Colson has a great column, called "More than a Job." He says this:

"These days, when many jobs are becoming iffy or non-existent, Americans are very sensitive to the importance of having and keeping a job, no matter what. But if all we see in our job is a way of making a living, and perhaps finding a small measure of satisfaction, we’ve missed the main point of how our job fits into the total scheme of the work we’ve been given to do. Jobs are important – more than we may at first recognize.

Because where do those skills come from? And the resources to bend those skills toward goods and services, and the wherewithal to pay for those skills thus applied? Where does the fluid and flow of the economy come from, but from the hand of God?

Every job is a gift of God."

Colson's take is that a job is just more than something we should enjoy. A job is more than just a means to put a roof over our head.

But calling your work a "Gift" might be a stretch. Or is it?  Comment here.

Read the whole article here.

Thanks to Judy for the suggestion for this post.

He didn't want to go to work, so he stabbed himself

A 27-year-old Denver man employed at a  Blockbuster video store, was skateboarding off- duty in his uniform when he ripped the issued khaki pants.

Rather than explain to the boss what had happened, he hatched a bizzare scheme. He took a knife, stabbed himself in the leg and showed up at work claiming to have just been attacked by three Hispanic males. He had a deep stab wound in one leg and several other minor cuts on his face and stomache

The police were called and the man perpetuated the lie. He showed his wounds and provided descriptions.  A five-county alert was issued and cops began to hunt for the assailants.

But the surveillance video from where the attack supposedly occured show the man alone without any attackers, ambling along without a limp or other injuries.

The gig was up.

I once had an employee call in because he couldnt get to work, due to snow. I had some company business that morning and I knew where he lived. Boldly,  I drove right up to his front door through the massive accumulations of two or three inches of snow. I knocked on his door and asked if he needed a ride in.
Surprised.
Sheepish.
Caught.

Have you ever had a lie get out of hand? Have you ever told a story, and then had to tell another to get your way out of the first one? Have you ever deceived your boss?

Comment here.

How the sausage gets made

Image via Wikipedia

Every company tries to put it's best face forward. The counters are clean. The floors gleam with reflective wax. The lights are positioned to reflect the bright surfaces.
The people at the front are schooled and trained in customer service. "Yes, no, please and thank you, sir. Did you find everything you need and may I help you buy something else."

A light bulb burned out on the front sign is a call for immediate maintenance, but a broken employee toilet takes days.

As consumers, we buy goods, products and services based on their value and often, their presentation. The nicely packaged, and more expensive items, are at eye level. The cheap brand made from the same ingredient hugs the floor.

Rarely do we ask how the sausage gets made. We don't know how the product got to the store. We cannot imagine what happens behind the scenes, in the corporate office, in the sweat shop, in the employee breakroom. We don't know.

Our world runs on image. But scratch the surface and you'll find reality - you'll find human emotion and pain. You'll find struggling men and women. You'll find how the sausage is made.

As Red Letter Believers, we have an obligation to value what God values. And he values honesty and integrity. He values hard work. He values us.

You know how your product or service is made -- and it's your responsiblity to live up to your High Calling -- for the Glory of God.

Ephesians 6:7-9 Says this, "Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free. " (Courtesy, The Message)

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