04.24.21 - week 101
A LION IS TRYING TO KILL ME
proverbs 22.13
the sluggard says, “there is a lion outside! i shall be killed in the streets!”
there is always a reason not to do something. our minds are capable of finding endless excuses.
the verse above (which we studied in my men’s morning hour this week, if you are looking for a digital group to join, you are welcome to join us is hilarious when understood in context.
if the sluggard is saying something in the book of proverbs it’s wrong. the sluggard has disney villain level lack of nuance. everything he does + says + thinks is wrong. the sluggard is LAZY and wants any excuse to do nothing.
the verse is ironic. so if he perceives danger, he is wrong.. he imagines problems where they aren’t to avoid having to do what he should.
i wonder if you are in the place of the sluggard right now. COVID + the racial uprising + the 2020 election + the unique personal things you have dealt with over the last few years may have frozen you in fear. you may be imagining problems that don’t totally exist to avoid going where you need to go and doing what you need to do.
i remember reading a wonderful book by business author jim collins years ago where he talked about the idea of ‘productive paranoia’… it’s the idea that wise leaders over forecast potential problems so they aren’t caught flat footed and unable to respond. they over concentrate on things that can destroy their mission.
but i wonder, have you become overloaded with unproductive paranoia?
(now, i recognize i’m treading on dangerous ground here, if you have followed this space, i hope you have seen i try to avoid being a blowhard or know it all .. takes these questions for what they are, questions to consider)
are you finding reasons past the point of reason to avoid returning to church in-person?
have you starved family members from your presence because of concerns your now vaccinated self could easily overcome?
did you get wounded by christians and now refuse to try again?
are you sitting on a big pile of money that could help people around you, but you keep finding reasons to worry?
are you fending off every potential suitor because you can’t let go of what HE did to you?
it’s time to get back in church.
it’s time to see people you care about.
it’s time to get in a new community.
it’s time to give some of it away.
it’s time to try to love again.
maybe there’s a lion outside. but maybe you are imagining it to baptize your inaction.
sometimes attempts to see a problem are really justifications for not doing the right thing.
KG Korner
(a few wise words from lady kristen macdonald)
How many identities did you try on as a teenager? Were you preppy? Were you a sports star? Maybe you were the bound and determined 4.0 GPA/AP classes kid. Were you the overachiever in every-extracurricular-there-ever-was-kid? Or maybe you were known as the ‘life of the party’ a.k.a. you had all the fun all the time! Maybe you found your place with the theatre crew. Or on the other end of the spectrum you were part of a garage band you still secretly miss! Maybe you wore black eyeliner and sported the EMO look or … the list can go on and on. Chances are you tried on at least two of these personas and however long it lasted, you gathered a friend group that supported you.
So often we become what we do: our job, our kids, our marriage and we wear how that’s going as if it’s an outfit each day. It’s easier to be a career woman that can point to all the parts of my job that are successful than talk about all the areas of my life that aren’t going well. Or if your job hasn’t gone well during the pandemic to put on a different persona such as coach to feel like just one part of your life is going well. We’ve all done that; this is a no judgement zone. The truth is that most of us wear a lot of hats, trying to be all things to all people. But in our efforts (which I think are typically good) we become exhausted and weary.
Inevitably, a time in life will come when you lose a part of your identity and it will rock your world. We experience extreme feelings because without that thing filling us up; what are we anyway?! Or on the contrary once you achieve that next highest bar that you set for yourself and you look around and think, wow, this didn’t actually feel as good as I thought it would and wonder, “now what?!”
I’ve shared this little list before that I have written in the front of my bible of who I am in Christ. It’s by no means exhaustive but in recent days I’ve had to daily remind myself of who I am not because of any goals I have attained or accomplished but simply because of Jesus’ matchless love. God has accomplished these things for you and I and he wrote them in His word so you would know them and hold them as your identity. These things can’t change or shift.
A few months ago I was getting in the car after being at my parent’s house and my mom gave me a big hug and with tears in her eyes told me that she was proud of me. It wasn’t new information, but the reminder made my day. Whatever persona that you are wearing today, may these reminders of who you are as his child be just as sweet to you!
You are Known. (Jeremiah 12:3, John 10:27, 1 Corinthians 13:12)
You are Loved. (Isaiah 54:10, John 3:16, Romans 5:8 & 8:37-39, 1 John 4:9-11)
You are Useful. (2 Corinthians 5:20, Galatians 6:10, 2 Timothy 2:21)
You are Redeemed. (Psalm 103:4, Psalm 107: 2, Isaiah 43:1, 1 Peter 1:3-5, Ephesians 1:7)
You are Forgiven. (Isaiah 1:18, Matthew 6:14-15, Acts 3:19-20, Ephesians 4:32, 1 John 1:9)
You are Precious. (Luke 12:24, 1 Peter 3:4)
You are Seen. (Job 34:21, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 32:19)
You are Chosen. (John 15:16, Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:4-5, 1 Peter 2:9)
You are Free. (John 8:36, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:1)
You are an Heir. (Romans 8:17, Galatians 3:29, Titus 3:7, Hebrews 9:15, 1 Peter 1:3-4)
You are a New Creation. (Isaiah 43:18-19, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 3:9-10)
You are His. (Psalm 139, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 John 3:1)
#cupofleadership
i walked by this sign the other day. the neighborhood decided that because of someone’s unusual difficulty, we should take extra care when we are in proximity.
the implication is that those passing through should be willing to take a little extra time, be a little inconvenienced, for the sake of the safety of this person.
something about the simplicity of the unspoken request on this sign struck me hard.
what would happen if you/i took the same approach to every
‘divorced’ resident
‘depressed’ resident
‘frustrated’ resident
‘afraid to take that step because last time it blew up in their face’ resident
currently taking up space in our homes ?
book review
just work: get **** done fast & fair - kim scott
kim scott pioneered one of my favorite leadership concepts ever called ‘radical candor’ a few years ago. i took lots of people through that book + really learned a lot from it. her new book is a reflection on a few decades in corporate america as a woman in leadership roles. in the aftermath of george floyd + #metoo, she tries to see how she and by extension we can improve our workplaces to be more fair for everyone.
her intent is to investigate the small + large ways people are bullied or abused, but also overlooked or not properly utilized. perhaps most importantly, instructions on how bystanders can contribute to healthier cultures.
the book is FULL of stories including unflattering personal accounts of the times the author got it wrong. the author’s willingness to call herself out is what keeps the book from being overly preach-y. i found the content helpful + inspiring. we can all do more + do better.
stuff to click on
we posted 6 gospel worship videos from kurt + kim + the rest of our worship team. they have been really well received, i think you will be blessed by them ..
i haven’t made it through the whole thing yet, but the convos between bishop jakes + pastor furtick are always full of interesting insights ..