Daddy...Daddy...Daddy...Daddy

Sometimes I get so focused on a task that I block out everything around me, sometimes even my kids. It's amazing how persistent they are at trying to get my attention. They'll say, "daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy" for as long as it takes until I say "What?". Sometimes, they ask me for permission to do something, and my first response will be "NO". They'll persist and persist and continue to reason with me. I must admit, that the reasoning is sometimes pretty creative. When it gets real creative, I will go ahead and grant them permission(within reason).

I was reading this morning in Luke 11 where Jesus was teaching his disciples about prayer. He tells them a story about a person that shows up at a friends house at midnight wanting to borrow a couple of loaves of bread. The friend was already in bed and tells him to go away, that he's not getting out of bed to help him. He continues to knock until his friend gets out of bed and gives him what he needs. That's persistence! How many people, including me, would just take no for an answer and move on? Persistence in prayer pays off (within his will)! Jesus tells his disciples, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." He then goes on to say, "which one of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

I was reminded today of how much God loves me and cares about me. He wants what's best for me. I am also reminded about how much more I need to be persistent in my pray life.

Oh, by the way...I won't be comin' over to your house at midnight lookin' for bread anytime soon!

What smells?

We went to the Mushroom Festival today in Kennett Square. I must admit, I'm far from a mushroom fan. My wife loves them. We even passed a stand that was selling mushroom ice cream! Ahh...no thanks I think I'll pass. The Mushroom Farming industry is huge in Southern Chester County. You can't help but smell the odor of Mushroom compost as you drive through the area. It's the most repugnant smell. It is also necessary in order to grow mushrooms. No compost...no mushrooms. For me, my life would not skip a beat if mushrooms were non-existent. But, for many, the odor is worth the final result!

I was reminded of a passage of scripture found in 2 Corinthians 2:14-17. It says, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God."
To many people that are far from God, when they hear the message of Jesus, they are repulsed by it! Sometimes however, they aren't repulsed by the message, they are repulsed by the messenger! Sometimes Christians come off so judgemental and disrespectful that the person they are sharing their faith with can't even hear the message of Jesus, because they are too busy holding their nose at the repulsive odor of the messenger! Now clearly, the scripture says that some will be repulsed by the message. We can't help that. The message of Jesus is clear and cannot be watered down...Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me!" To some, that claim of exclusivity that Jesus made is the most repulsive odor that you have ever smelled. If thats the case for you...I'm sorry, I can't help that! However, I can help the way in which I share that message. I can share it in love and with respect and certainly in a way that is non-judgemental, and always with sincerity! To others, Jesus' claim is the most beautiful fragrance that you have ever encountered!

My stuff is not my stuff

One of the most difficult truths to apply to our lives is that our stuff is not really ours, it all belongs to God. In Christian circles, we say this all the time, but our actions tell a different story. We spend our entire lives protecting our stuff. We're like a little kid hovering over his share of the candy with his arms wrapped wide around his pile and looking over his shoulder to spot any intruder that might be coming to take his stuff.

We protect our stuff at all costs...Here is a real life example...
Walt and I were out yesterday filming people on the street. Our question..."Do you think Christians are generous?" We stopped by a gas station and approached a man(his name was Willie) and asked him if we could ask him a question on camera. He said, "No way! I'm on house arrest(as he pointed to the electronic leash on his ankle) and I need to stay on the straight and narrow!" He must've thought we were the secret parole agents spying on him or something! Anyway, I asked him why he was on house arrest. He said, "I popped a homeless guy for trying to break into my car to steal some change." I quickly clarified that by "popped" he meant "hit" and not "shot". He said, "yeah I hit him". So rather than film him, I asked him if I could pray for him. He said, "sure!" I gave him a starbucks gift card with my phone number and told him to call me if he needed to talk.

I don't think Willie reacted much differently than we react when it comes to protecting our stuff. Ok, maybe he went a little off the deep end, but we all have tend to have a strong "protection mechanism" built in that senses an intruder. When I let the truth that my stuff is not my stuff sink deep within my heart, I begin to ask myself the question, "how does Jesus want me to react to these types of situations?"

Luke 6:27-36 is clear...be generous...your reward will come later, and it will be great!