Be Kind and ACT!

With the judiciary committee hearings this last week, I discovered that many people are disgruntled, mean, unwilling to listen, and uncaring.  Whether they are Christians or not, many have fallen into this category.  I was not at that party thirty some years ago because not only did I not live in that community, but I was never invited to those parties.  So, I will keep my opinion to myself.  I want to look at the behavior of us.  Those of us who were viewers.  Those of us who are dividing this country.  Those of us who are sinners.  We have to stop.  We must unite.  Those of us who are Christians, we have the answer to the truth and the light, and yet we hide it because our opinions and thoughts are more important. 

We must listen to one another.  I was told to not think of what I’m going to say next when someone is speaking, but to genuinely listen to their point of view.  I get it.  I argue and I fight all wrong because I feel that my voice is not always heard, so I use words that will punch someone in the throat.  It’s why I started writing.  I write.  I delete. Answers to deep questions do not come within seconds in a few words on social media.  They take time.  There are times when I am just silent.  When we listen with depth, we think about what someone else has said, and we see life from their point of view before we answer.  Listening is a skill that puts the other person’s need above my own. 

Putting other people’s needs above my own needs means I live by the words of Thumper.  “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”  Why did Disney put that into the movie, Bambi?  Was he only speaking to children?  I think he was speaking to all of us.  I have seen hurtful words in many posts.  You will not win anyone over in your argument with hurtful words.  Both parties are full of imperfect people who are sinners; therefore, saying that one party is stupid and the other party is perfect is not right nor helpful.

We all have sinned.  We all have done wrong.  I’m so tired of people treating one party like they are gods and the other one like they are Satan’s spawn.  It’s depressing.  It’s wearisome.  We are all in need of a Savior.  Only Jesus is perfect.  I follow Him and Him only.  I know some people do not believe Jesus exists.  That’s fine.  It’s still true that there is evil in the world and we all have done something wrong in our lives.

We need to stop our fighting.  This country loves to fight.  Maybe it’s because we started with a war from England.  Maybe it’s to prove that we are right because no one listens to us.  Whatever the reason, we need to stop fighting.  What a boring world it would be if we all believed the same and thought the same thoughts.  I love people who think differently than me.  They challenge me.  People who agree with me are awesome too.  They challenge me to continue with my pursuits in life. 

In the end, what are we really accomplishing with all of our fights? Nothing, and that is what many people want to accomplish.  They do not want to do anything, so they fight and argue on social media in order to avoid working and becoming part of the solution, and they want you to join in on their apathy.   I’ve said this before because I’m working in the mud every day.  Go DO something.  I don’t have time to get into all of the arguments, especially this last week with my grades due on Friday. 

There are so many things in our country that need to get done.  I could use some young good tutors in South Central Los Angeles.  If the public schools refuse to do their job, then the community needs to step up and do it.  in Los Angeles, our streets are littered with trash.  We could gather to start picking up trash.  There could also be a contingent of people going to our beaches to do some cleaning.  If we care about the environment, then let’s do something.  If we care about our young people, let’s teach them.  Homeless shelters all around our country could use some extra help.  If we care about the poor, then let’s help them.  We could also include Habitat for Humanity for caring about the poor.  Do we care about victims of abuse?  Then volunteer at abuse shelters.  Do we care about people who are on drugs or alcohol?  Then volunteer at rehabilitation hospitals.  Once we start doing, we stop talking.  We stop fighting.  We stop because we started something good.  The only way to stop arguing is to go live life.  Let us show the government, all of it, that we will do their jobs since they want to talk and argue.    

There came a time in my life a few years ago where I had to stop blaming everyone for my life.  Even if others produced something negative in my life, it was my choice how to live. I want to show others who Jesus is.  Jesus did preach and talk, but he also served and healed.  Let us begin healing.  I am talking to myself too.  I need to volunteer with groups.  I need to step up or be quiet.  I refuse to just talk.  I need to act.  It’s in the actions that people see Jesus. 

Passion

While I’m writing this, I realize that I could be obsessed with writing.  I have created a task for myself to write every day.  I buy books and magazines with articles on how to write better.  I continue to come up with ideas that I believe I need to write.  I was reminded recently of a conversation between two characters in one of my favorite movies, National Treasure.  In this film, the main character, Ben, and is trusting sidekick, Riley, are searching for a hidden treasure that they believe our founding fathers left for future generations to find. This conversation about passion between the two characters has always intrigued me. 

Ben: “We don’t need someone crazy, but one step short of crazy.  What do you get?  Riley: “Obsessed.”

Ben: “Passionate.”

Ironically, their idea of the hidden treasure is crazy, but their passion brought them right to it. 

Passionate people are often misunderstood.  They jump into their projects with full speed and give 110%, and when they feel they cannot give anymore, they give it one last push. When doors close in their face, passionate people don’t look for a window.  They blast a whole in the wall of the place to which they need to be.  Passionate people don’t just talk about it, they do.  They don’t always tweet or post about their passion because they are too busy creating ways for their passion to come to life.

We need passionate people.  We need people to not just talk about their passions, but actually do tasks that give their passions a voice.  We don’t need apathetic people who tell us what we should do and sit at home watching football and tweet about what we should do, while they yell at the football game.  They are distractors and passion thieves.  They try to take our passion, so we won’t remind them that they are apathetic and need to join in on what others are doing.

When I get an idea for writing something, I get passionate about it.  There are several starts to blogs, articles, screenplays, and books that I have started but didn’t complete because they didn’t have passion.  They were just words creating noise.  I want my words to create life.  I want my passions to lead others to a better life.  I want my words for others to see Jesus as the answer to what their soul needs. 

As I look at life, passionate people change the world for the better.  Find a passion.  If you have one, build it and work at it with 110%.  It may not be your career, but it will become your legacy.  Build your passion.  Build a legacy.  Change the world for the better. 

Power Struggle

Having grown up in Daytona Beach, Florida, I’ve actually experienced the powerful force of a hurricane.  Although our city was spared of the damage that the hurricane brings, I understand the power of wind and water.  Their power can completely destroy a home.  I saw homes in New Orleans moved completely moved from their original lot.  The power of a hurricane reminds me of whom we let have power over our lives.

In recent years, I have discovered that it is me who allows the right or wrong people to empower me.  I allow people to have power over me, or I allow myself to empower people to strengthen their own gifts and use them to change the world.  The second part is very difficult to do, but it is much more rewarding than trying to have power and control over everything in life. 

It was so eye opening for me that I allow people to control me.  Only I can control me.  I allow God to have control over me, but he does not treat me like a robot.  He allows me to have the freedom to choose what I will in life.  When I choose to follow his will, life can be challenging, but in the end it is rewarding.  When I choose for others to control me and tell me how I should be living, thinking, behaving, or being a Christian, I’m not always following God’s will for me. 

I was reminded today from Erwin McManus that we cannot just sit back and expect God to just do great things.  I’ve done some studying on the life of David in the Bible and I’ve realized that he was prepared to fight Goliath.  He prepared for a long time.  It wasn’t something that God just called him up as he sat at the coffee shop playing his harp.   He had fought lions and bears with his bare hands to protect his sheep.  Surely, he was prepared to fight off an arrogant behemoth.  Being prepared gives us power.

Instead of trying to control others or allowing others to control me, I have decided to empower others to be great and empower myself to use the gifts and talents that I have to make a difference in the world.  If we all could stop thinking our arguing and fighting is all-powerful, our hurricanes in life would dissipate into small tropical storms.

Caroline's Writings: Fight the Good Fight

Caroline's Writings: Fight the Good Fight: Even in its beginning, social media has created divisions and fights among people, including strangers.   I would like to...

Fight the Good Fight

Even in its beginning, social media has created divisions and fights among people, including strangers.  I would like to say that I’m innocent in not getting involved with these petty arguments, but I am not.  Recently I realized that certain people bait you into fights that are just not worth fighting.  This week, after I was unfortunately baited, I decided there are things worth fighting for, but no one is fighting over them.  So, let me start. 

We need to fight for the poor.  We need to get off the Internet, get off our couches, and go into our communities that are inflicted with poverty and discover what we can do for and with them.  As a teacher in an urban community that needs this help, I can testify that we need tutors and speakers who are encouragers.  We need people to help others how to manage their businesses, apply for jobs, create budgets for their families, and provide housing and life skills for the homeless.  I hope one day we will argue that our good deeds are the ones we need to apply to helping the poor.  There are 60,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County.  What are the petty arguments we are having?  We cannot wait for the government to do anything.  It’s too late for that, both or all parties. 

We need to fight for kindness.  On Tuesday, we will remember the horrific tragedy of 9/11 that occurred seventeen years ago.  A day that was full of terror led by hate has been turned into a day of kindness.  Organizers are challenging us to do one act of kindness for others on this day.  I hope we will be kind all day long and begin to create it as a habit to be kind. 

We need to fight for selflessness.  We need to think of others before ourselves.  We can love ourselves when we begin to love others.  Do we truly love others and ourselves when we shove and push to be first or to get ahead in our industry, and then in the future despise the results that we received?  Serving others and putting their needs above mine has never resulted in my getting behind.  It’s actually resulted in me getting ahead. 

This is incredibly idealistic.  Some will say I’m silly and not very wise.  That’s okay.  They may also say that about the one I learned all this from…Jesus.  Jesus fights for us.  He fought for us on the cross, conquering death, and he fights for us every day with his mercy.  I’m in no way perfect in any of this.  In fact, I wrote this more for myself than anyone else.  When I began my journey to overcome the hurt the church inflicted on me, it was only through these fights that I truly recognized my flaws and how my hurts turned into health.  There are some things worth fighting for.  I want to live my life by the following words: “Fight the good fight of the faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”  1 Timothy 6:12 (NIV) 

True Love for Pastors

In the month of August, I watched on social media the downright evil that a church spewed out on two young pastors, one that was fired and another forced to resign because of philosophical differences, and if that wasn’t bad enough, it got worse.  Another young pastor here in California committed suicide leaving a young wife, two young children, and a congregation in a loss.  Some veteran pastors began to speak up for both incidents that the church needs to become a place of encouragement and restoration.  Our leaders need to build up our pastors and not tear them down so far that they drown.  They are people struggling their way on their own spiritual journey like everyone else.  They have flaws and they have great talents and gifts.  Most of the time, pastors are told only of their flaws. 

For over thirty years of my life, I believed the church was to be the one to monitor behavior and make sure everyone is in line with the leaders’ expectations and philosophical ideals of what the Bible says is righteous behavior and ideas. Even though I would teach young people to encourage one another, I didn’t believe that it would really occur in the church because encouragement was so rare, and not just for me, but also for my other pastors too.  This is a problem in our church and we need to resolve it. 

Don’t get me wrong, I had some amazing experiences and great times in my youth ministry career, but when I walked away from it, I was destroyed.  I had no self-esteem. I believed that God loved me, but why in the world would he like me? My theology was a mess.  My journey of overcoming the hurt of the church began, and I am a healthy person today.

Our world is suffering and the church has the answer.  If we cannot treat our leaders with the love of Jesus, how in the world do we expect to treat unbelievers with the love of Jesus?  “ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails.”  (1 Corinthians 13:5-8 NIV) The congregation and the leaders need to love everyone with this type of love.

Here is my breakdown of that passage.  We need to be patient.  It is difficult.  We need to be kind.  That is ridiculously hard, but when it is done, it is amazing.  We have to stop being jealous of other people’s successes, relationships, lives, etc.  Envy is the root to many evils.  Stop believing that you are so much smarter and better than those around you, and basically stop posting it on social media when you are right and everyone else is wrong. 

How do we dishonor our leaders?  Let me count the ways.  We gossip, do not support them, complain to them and about them about the same exact incident over and over again, and we are just plain rude to them and rejoice when they leave.  The church is not about you, so self-seeking needs to stop.  When the church makes a sudden change, we have to not get angry, but see the new changes as new opportunities to bring people to Jesus, which should be the main reason for church.  Please, please, please stop reminding our leaders of what they said wrong, or how they said it, or what they did ten years ago that was completely out of line.  It’s not love if you’re keeping a scorecard. 

Begin to seek the truth, and then rejoicing will be discovered.  Want to really help your church leaders?  Protect them.  Trust their decisions.  Hope and pray that their visions will be from God and that they will be beneficial for the entire church.  Never give up on your church leaders.  Pray for them. That’s my breakdown of that passage in 1 Corinthians 13.

When we love, it will not fail.  In our country today, the church has the best opportunity to lead people into love.  We have a choice.  Will we choose love or hurt? I hope and pray from this day forward our churches will choose love.