I am Goliath

This has been quite the week for me. I flew down to San Antonio to attend a conference for electric cooperative communicators. So the week is full of seminars and meetings designed to help us do our job better.

Wednesday of the conference was my best day. On top of great, informative seminars, I accepted 3 national awards for our use of social media and photography. To top off my day, I got to go watch the San Antonio Spurs clinch their spot in the Western Conference finals. My day could not have turned out better and it didn’t. It got worse.

Smiling, on cloud nine coming back to the hotel from the game I met David. David was in front of my hotel and approached me. David was about my age, clean cut, very nice, dressed nice with a shoulder bag. He was well spoken. David is homeless.

During the conversation I learned that David had lost his job some time ago and has been homeless for several weeks. The Salvation Army has a local shelter where he stays. He was excited because he had a new job that he was starting in a few days, but that did not help him this night. David was hungry.

David weaved a story about his hard luck. But he was not giving up. He does not desire to be homeless. He wants to be useful. He wants to work and make a living. He does not want to call his family for help, but he is on the brink of having to swallow his pride and make the phone call he so desperately does not want to make.

I know what you are thinking. How do I know he is telling the truth? How do I know he isn’t pulling a scam? I don’t know, but there was something different about David. I could tell the last thing he wanted to do was ask me for the money. It pained him to ask and I could see the pain on his face as he told his story.

I gave David what money I had in my wallet, we prayed and he walked away. Then I started feeling the pain. In the midst of my great day God brought be back to reality. As I was enjoying myself in all of worldly things, there are people out there hurting in a life that is not what they dreamed about when they were a kid. The dream of being what ever they wanted to be when they grew up did not come to fruition.

All night and all morning David has weighed heavily on me. So heavy that I came to a realization today, I am David’s Goliath. I am not the reason why David is without a job and on the street. However, I am the reason he continues to feel pain. We all are.

I am reminded of a speaker I once saw at the Missouri Baptist Convention in Cape Girardeau when it was held at the Show Me Center. The speaker, whose name escapes me, said “When you see what Jesus sees, you will feel what Jesus feels.”

Look what is says in Philippians 2:4,

“do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

That means take off the blinders and look around you. Who needs to be helped? More importantly who needs to be loved? Isn’t that after all, what we as Christians are suppose to do? To love everyone especially those who no ones wants to love? If we truly love God then that has to be our objective. Our mission in life.

“But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” 1 John 3:17

Time will tell how this will affect me. God is not done with me on this subject yet. I am still processing what he has shown me, but I do know this. I can no longer be a Goliath. No more excuses. No more turning a blind eye.

My hope in sharing is that you take away a positive, not a negative. My hope in sharing this story and how God is speaking to me right now will be a motivation for you. That you recognize you are a Goliath  and that it is time to love David. If you come to this recognition, do me a favor. Go on social media, Facebook, Twitter, what ever you use and put the following; I am Goliath. #loveDavid. Let’s start a movement today to take off the blinders and love the David’s of the world.

The Guardian

As a man, husband and father protection is a very important word. In my home I am to stand between my family and harm’s way. Today, I want to add to that definition.

I have come to realize, especially with a daughter near completion of high school and a son who will soon be a freshman, it is also my job to protect their reputation.

Many of us can think of someone from high school who did not turn out to be the person the rumors told us they were. We can name girls we thought got around, were stuck up or dingy. Guys who hit girls, drank too much or were doing something harder than alcohol.

While some of those rumors might have turned out to be true, many were not. The rumor mill fuels high schools.

Some would say I am too strict when it comes to my children. Not allowed to date, if they go to a dance, the movies or just somewhere to eat and there is a person of the opposite sex with them there has to be one or more people there too. Our daughter wasn’t allowed to wear make up until she was 16. If they are with friends on the weekends we have to know where they are at all times. These are just a few of our rules.

While these rules may seem harsh, they are meant to protect the reputation of our children. Even the most obedient child slips up from time to time. Without thinking they make a decision that stays with them the rest of their life.

When young men look at my daughter I want them to see a young woman rooted in a Christian foundation, pure, joyful and a heart so big that it breaks when she sees someone in need. When young women look at my son I want them to see a young man, rooted in a Christian foundation, pure, humble and who goes out of his way to help those in need.

Yes, my children may not get to experience certain things that other teens experience at their age. They may not get to watch certain movies, listen to certain music or get to go to all of the parties. But at the end of the day I won’t have to worry about an embarrassing picture or video finding its way to Youtube, Facebook or Twitter.

God does the same for us. Through-out the New Testament we are taught not to quarrel, fight to use good words not words that are harsh or offend, not to act on revenge and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Basically we are to live a life that is as blameless as possible.

Our reputation has a direct effect on our ability to witness. Every time we tarnish our image we make Christ a little less visible. If we are to be beacons who shine in the darkness we have to keep the lens clear of any dirt or grime that blocks the light from shining through.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2

Have Fun, Live Free, Hope Strong

Pastor G

Perception vs. Weakness

Writer's note: This blog is not aimed at one particular church. This is simply an observation of what I see happening as a whole. I see even in myself and the church I serve lots of room for improvement.

Have you heard this before?

"We have the best worship music"

"Our youth group rocks"

"We are authentic"

"Our churches children's program is great"

Some time ago churches began to market themselves in the same way secular businesses have for several years. Cool color schemes, an awesome logo, a good tag line and unique names for the church in order to be different became the norm. Churches have become more concerned about their perception in the community. In the process of trying to be "different" in order to grow, churches have set the wrong expectations for possible church members.

Have you heard this before?

"I would go to church, but its just full of hypocrites."

As a pastor I have heard this excuse many times. Why do we hear this so much? Because of the expectations we have laid out. We make church more about what we are doing rather than what the church can help fix.

Of course it is full of hypocrites. It's also full of liars, drunkards, adulterers, idolaters, thieves, child abusers, people hooked on pornography and drugs. The church is full of bad, sinful people and that, hopefully, is why they are there to get out of that life.

Paul, writing to the church in Corinth was dealing with false apostles and teachers who took the spotlight off of God and put it on themselves. In 2 Corinthians chapter 12 Paul acknowledges that Satan has put them there and he has asked God to take them away. But God answers Paul with this, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (v9)

When we set expectations based on ourselves, I.E. best music, youth group, children's program, etc., we set ourselves up to fail. What if people come and don't like the music, the youth group or children's program? What if they see people that they have had bad dealings with before? What if they come and don't feel like they were welcomed at the friendliest church in town? Then they walk away feeling like they have succumbed to false advertising.

Paul makes it pretty clear that our boasting should be about what life God helped us leave behind. We need to acknowledge our weaknesses and make it known only because of God's grace, mercy and strength are we able to rise above the former life. This has to begin with the pastors of the church. Taking themselves off the pedestal, the church van and the church sign. Showing they are human and sinners saved by grace just like everyone else. We have to lead by example.

Do we want church members talking about all the great church programs, community projects and the great people? Or do we want members sharing how God delivered them from excessive drinking, how God helped their marriage, saved their children, or move away from what ever sin was keeping them apart from God?

Paul was content with his "weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities." (v10) Why? Because in all of that it was God who was receiving all of the glory, not Paul.

Nothing in your life is about you. Not even your salvation is about you. It's all about God and His glory.

What are you doing that shows God's glory to the people around you?

Have Fun, Live Free, Hope Strong

Pastor G