One of the official markers that signifies one's entrance into adulthood is the resume. Once we enter the 'real world' and look to start our careers along the path we've chosen, the resume is what we use to represent ourselves and our past experiences to employers. Mine is fairly straight forward, listing my education and degrees along with the Cum Laude and Magna Cum Laude designations I was awarded based on my GPA for by bachelors and masters degrees. Past work experiences are listed and described as well as my collegiate athletic achievements. My resume is specifically designed for Christian ministry and I feel fairly proud with both it's presentation and content. I was reminded this week, the Apostle Paul's was WAY better. In Philippians 3, he spells out his own resume. However, he reveals that he's not proud of his privileged position and performance. In fact, he loathes it:
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
Philippians 3:7-8 English Standard Version (ESV)
The only thing worth anything to Paul on his resume is "Saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ." The only thing that matters to Paul is his relationship with Christ, because nothing we could do could earn the favor of God. It's a beautiful reminder of what's really important. Not my resume but my relationship with my Redeemer.
When I was growing up, I was not a perfect child. That sentence probably shocks those of you who know me, but even though I gave my life to Christ at an early age and wanted to please God, I often failed and sinned. And when I got caught, shame and sorrow would set in my heart. I remember one time when we lived in Merrywood Trailer Court, my dad told me not to kick my soccer ball towards our neighbor's trailer because it would dent in their plastic siding around the bottom of their mobile home. Well, I didn't obey and continued to play how I wanted to until my dad noticed the 'damage' I'd done. He sternly confronted me and probably spanked me - though that wasn't the most traumatic part of the episode (I don't even remember if he did or not). What the worst part of the whole thing was he made me go to our neighbors and personally apologize for messing up their siding. The siding could easily be popped back in - but that's beside the point - I had directly disobeyed and damaged someone else's property. I said I was sorry and they accepted my apology and I made sure I never did that again. Getting caught and the shame of personally apologizing led to me repenting. That's how a lot of life is - negative consequences warn us to avoid certain behaviors. From speeding tickets to IRS audits to personal relationships - our behaviors are often guided by avoiding and minimizing bad consequences. All of those sorts of examples make Romans 2:4 and the above song feel like a cool breeze on a hot summer's day. God certainly warns us of negative consequences throughout Scripture, but He also is just as forceful with Grace. When properly grasped within our souls, His Kindness will bring us to repentance. It's His Love that is better than anything else in life.
Pastors these days have a variety of fashion choices when they prepare to preach. Some stick with the traditional sport coat, tie, and dress pants. Others ditch the coat, but wear the tie. While still others go way to the opposite extreme and dress super casual with a nice t-shirt, with shorts or jeans. Whereas a previous generation of pastors had to wear a super formal outfit, today it's basically whatever you feel like.
For me, I typically wear a dress shirt and dress pants on Sundays. Our church is not a super-formal dressing bunch and I've yet to hear a complaint about my attire. That said, about once a month I'll wear a tie and maybe even one of my two sport coats. Yesterday was one of those days. I wore khaki dress pants with light green shirt and matching tie. I realized early on in my sermon that the tie was rubbing up against my throat causing me some irritation that caused some mucus in my throat to trigger some coughing and nasal issues. I really haven't been able to shake what I believe to be allergy-related flem ever since my last job when I work in the basement of a hundred year old building. It's not uncommon for me to have to pause and clear my throat at some point during my message. But yesterday as I was desperately trying to avoid coughing through important points about 'working out our salvation', it hit me that the tie definitely makes it worse.
I like to dress up, I really do. Every once in a while it's nice to look my best. But it's at the point where I am going to be ditching the tie because it aggravates my throat stuff. Eventually I just need to get my allergies identified and addressed - Claritin ain't fixing it - but for now it's both simpler and less expensive to reduce my wardrobe by one item.
And so ends the story of why I dislike ties. Sorry for no 'Music Monday', this ministry issue amused me enough to write it in lieu of a music post.
I was first exposed to this week's song through Kristian Stanfill and the Passion 2012 album. Originally a Hillsong creation, it's a sing-able worship song that's gotten some radio play that I've come to like despite myself. Being a theologically-trained pastor, I almost automatically revert to analyzing songs when I'm listening to or singing them. I'm sure this revelation will come as a shock to those of you who have read this blog.
So in the end, I'm left with enjoying a song despite my mental dissonance. It offers a great proclamation and hope that we can run to God's arms and find a love that "will always be enough".
I was doing some heavy reading today in a local coffee shop/bookstore. It was detailed church history that traced the development of some movements before our nation was even a country. This kind of study has it's place and it's interesting how doctrine has developed. You can start to wonder why people acted the way they did - and then you turn around and realize the more things change, the more they stay the same. So as I was reading in this area, over the speakers came the following song, which helps give balance and perspective. It's all gotta come back to Jesus.
Bonus Video:
I was a week early last week - Needtobreathe has come out with their official video for "Multiplied", enjoy:
Father's Day is an interesting celebration for me. As a pastor, it takes on one sort of significance. Personally, it takes on a whole different sort of significance.
The pastoral side of me absolutely loves this holiday. God's Word has some great principles for fathers. It calls upon fathers to lovingly teach and lead their children in the things of God (Deut. 6). It models for them how to impart wisdom and what specifically to share with them (the whole book of Proverbs). It encourages otherwise harsh and removed fathers to be gracious (Ephesians 6:4). And when we consider the entirety of Scripture, the God that is progressively revealed as perfectly loving, just, holy, powerful, and good is regarded as our Father (Psalm 68:5, John 14:1-10, Romans 8:15, 1 Peter 1:17-21, et al). The personal side of me has conflicted thoughts because of my own father. He died when I was 11. So on Father's Day, I have no one to take out to hug, take out to dinner, and share my appreciation. My father also had his own complicated struggles that affected our family even before he passed. He was imperfect like all human fathers of course, but I was just old enough to begin to understand that his flaws were more than run-of-the-mill. Yet I also knew he loved me very much and he loved the Lord despite his struggles. So on a day like today, I'm excited and reserved all at the same time. I passionately want to call sons of God to become the mighty fathers God desires them to be. And yet I empathize with those who had negative experiences with their earthly fathers and those who had no experience at all. I've come to the conclusion that it's ok to view Father's Day with these mixed emotions. It's the reality of the human experience that God is redeeming.
Father's Day is upon us. That is an occasion of celebration for many, but a bittersweet reminder for others. We don't pick our fathers, but they have a tremendous impact on us - even if they are absent.
On Sunday we will look at two key ingredients that make up a good father. But I thought I'd pass along an article I read earlier this week that I found to be pretty moving. This isn't a good article, it's a great one. And I'd encourage you to read it, especially if you are like me, and had to navigate part of your life without your biological dad.
