Have you seen that show called “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel?  It’s always interesting to see what kind of dirty job they’re going to show next.  If you who haven’t seen it, that’s the show where the host, Mike Rowe, goes around the country to do some of the most dirty jobs there are along side those who’ve chosen to make those jobs their profession.  That show has featured everything from sewer inspectors, to people who work at landfills, to people who build roads, to people who make cranberry jam (it’s messier than it sounds) – and everything in between.  I know that most of those jobs are the last thing I’d want to wake up every morning to go do.

Sometimes God gives us a job to do that might be kind of similar to some of those jobs – the hard or dirty jobs that not many people are willing to tackle.

If God called us to serve in dirty places, or serve dirty people, where there isn’t much glamor or notoriety – would we serve humbly and joyfully there, if we even served at all?  I think most of us would say that we would, myself included.  But sometimes I wonder if I’d be able to serve in an uncomfortable, dirty job with joy and humility.  I might be apt to complain a bit, or be disappointed that I wasn’t involved in something, well, less dirty.

Being a servant basically comes down to the greatest commandment – love the Lord with all your heart, and love your neighbor.  We’ve all heard this many, many times.     It sounds so simple, but that whole loving your neighbor part – you know, loving even that impatient guy in the car behind you at the light who is laying on his horn, cursing aloud about you turning left (because he’s so passionate about it you can read his lips), or that kid at school who keeps talking smack about you, or that fellow member of the church committee we serve on that we have a major disagreement with – that can be difficult.

However, if our service to others is about serving God, and loving Him – and not about our need for some sort of notoriety, our need for people to think well of us, our need to be right, or our need to be comfortable – in other words, if we have the proper perspective – then loving our neighbor and serving our neighbor humbly and joyfully becomes easier.

Paul writes about love in Romans chapter 12, verses 9 through 14, and I believe that the principles he speaks of in this passage of scripture also apply when we are in service to others.  It says:

9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.

Oswald Chambers wrote in the devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest, “The power of the saint lies in the coming down and the living that is done in the valley.  Paul said ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and what he was referring to were mostly humiliating things.”

Brothers and sisters, Jesus didn’t promise us glamor or notoriety for being one of His servants.  May we – may I – remember that even though I may be placed into serving others by doing one of those unwanted dirty jobs, that it is an honor and a privilege to do that job.  May I humbly go where I am called to serve, and may I do so with joy and a loving heart.  Amen.

Thoughtlessness seems so pervasive in our world.  The scenarios play themselves out in the news everyday.  How many times have we said to ourselves after reading such accounts, “If they had only taken a moment to think…”

But how often do we look at ourselves and say that?  How many times do we act thoughtlessly and unwisely?  How many times do we squander opportunities to do good?

Ephesians 5 verses 15 through 17 says, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

I can think of times in my own life when I have chosen to participate in gossip, when in hindsight I probably could have stopped it altogether.  I can think of instances when I have had the means to help someone in need and thoughtlessly have chosen not to.  I can think of a lot of times, recently even, where, instead of listening the what God would have me to do, I’ve foolishly done what I want to do, and rightfully suffered the consequences of doing those things.

Why do I act this way?  My standards should be higher!  I should be living a thoughtful, Godly life.

I am a fallen, broken human being, and as much as I would like to be, I’m never going to be perfect on my own merit.

Father God, thank you for Your grace.  Thank you for the unending forgiveness when I fall short of the standards You have asked me to live up to.  Help me to be thoughtful, to do good, and to listen to what you would want me to do.

He was pierced for our transgressions

crushed for our sins

the punishment that brought us peace

was upon Him

and by His wounds, by His wounds we are healed

We are healed by Your sacrifice

by the life that You gave

we are healed for You paid the price

by Your grace we are saved

we are saved

By His Wounds from the Glory Revealed project

I was browsing the web yesterday, and ran across this series of articles at US News & World Report called Women of the Bible. I haven’t had a chance to read all of them yet, but the ones I’ve read so far have been interesting, so I thought I’d share. The article on Mary Magdalene was particularly interesting.

Throughout most of my life I’ve felt like a bit of an outcast. I felt like a puzzle piece that wasn’t cut quite right. Through my younger years, I used my differences to isolate myself, and ultimately developed a bit of an inferiority complex.

Now I understand that I do have a place. Perhaps my puzzle piece needs a bit of sanding and refining to be able to fit in the spot in the puzzle that God has created for me. Do I see how I am a part of the bigger picture yet? Not quite, but I’m willing to be refined in order to know my role.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul writes to the church at Corinth about the Body of Christ, and how there are many parts which do different things, but each is necessary in order for the Body to work effectively. No one can do everything, but everyone can do one thing. We’ve all been blessed with abilities, talents, and interests that are unique to each of our faith communities. We’ve all lived different lives and have different perspectives to offer to areas of ministry within our churches. All of our different gifts can be used together to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

Picture via stock.xchng

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.

Life gives us many challenges, and it isn’t always fair. Sometimes we are faced with situations where we are treated badly. Sometimes those people intentionally treat us badly; other times, they may do so without realizing it.

When we’re treated (we feel) unfairly, some of us choose to talk to the person we feel has wronged us. Some of us let it slide a couple of times, and then tell the people, “Hey, that’s not cool.” Others of us don’t say anything and let our hurt build up until the point that we cut off ties with those people.

In the last case, are those of us who don’t say anything partially to blame for the demise of that relationship?

You can’t have any sort of relationship, be it professional, friendship, romantic, whatever without communication. If nobody knows how you feel, especially the person who you have a grievance with, how are they to know they need to correct their behavior, and/or apologize?

If you feel like someone has done you wrong, or if you have issue with them, don’t let those feelings bottle up inside until you explode or just quit talking to them. You have to tell them.

When we don’t tell people when we feel we’ve been wronged, it starts to skew our perspective, which in turn causes dissension and separation. We start to see the annoyances, the problems, and the hurts, and put blinders up to all of the good things and the love that is there, which begins to unravel the unity that exists.

Are you in a situation in your church, your workplace, or your home where you feel like you’ve been wronged? Are you talking about how you feel to those whom have been unkind or unfair to you? Do you see the good things about the people in that place, or do you just see the injustice? What is your perspective?

I am somewhat ADD/random, so unlike most people I know of who study the Bible, I study it like I surf the Internet, by searching for something that I’m thinking about at a particular moment in time.

Last night we had a worship committee meeting at church, and after what we talked about, it’s got me wanting to delve into the topic of praising God–what that really is, and how to do it because it is genuine, and what God wants, and not just something to do or some feeling that I want.

Praise is more than just prayers of thanksgiving and songs we sing in church. Praise is a lifestyle. Praise is our becoming Christlike; meeting people where they are at, and meeting their needs because they need to be met. It’s sharing the Gospel through our acts of kindness and words of encouragement in our daily lives.

God wants so much more from us than just singing along to some songs and praying the Lord’s Prayer on Sunday mornings. He wants our whole lives.

I think that perhaps in my congregation we’ve been stuck in the mode of sing songs, take an offering, sing the Doxology, sing some more songs, hear a sermon, go home. Instead of being a place where I felt like I could go to be refueled each week, I felt like it was a place, like much of the rest of my life of late, that was spiritually draining. I wrestled with that feeling, and have had a deep, deep longing to go to the well, dip my bucket in, and not come out empty.

I do feel encouraged, though, that things are going to move in a direction where we do things with purpose...not just because we “need” to do it or have always done it; and that God will really be present and working through all of us in a harmonious way, so that our house of worship will be truly that–a house of worship–and through us God can do great things.

I think I have a responsibility in what I say, but just because I have a cool idea about God doesn’t mean it should be preached as truth on Sunday. I’m human and just as messed up as anyone—I just happen to sing louder. Some of the issues I’m wrestling with right now are on this record and others aren’t. Some of your issues may be here and others may not be. My point in all of it is to inspire you to take these issues and wrestle with the Lord yourself. He may or may not answer your question [in this life], but you will be changed.
-Todd Agnew

Go read the whole interview on Christian Music Today

Yesterday I happened to have my camera with me, and after praise team practice I decided to take pictures of some of the flowers in the flowerbed outside of my church.

With the abundance of rain we’ve had lately, everything is so green and there are wildflowers blooming all over. It really is a beautiful sight, especially after the last several years of drought conditions, where the late spring and summer were hot and the grass was brown and dry.

It is a time of rejuvenation. And a time to rejoice in God’s beauty around us.