Living as Christians in a broken world is hard and it begins with living for others.

The past couple of months have been tough; a pandemic has ravaged across the globe and our normal routines have been disrupted and inconvenienced. Concurrently, a senseless killing has incited protests and riots throughout our country. Our behaviors, in both situations, concern me. Are we becoming a society short on self-discipline, disrespectful of rules of law, and lacking wisdom? We resist protocols intended to protect others and blatantly violate the limits of civil disobedience with concern for my perspective and mine only and seldom consider the effects on others.  

Wisdom is a big thing in the Bible and Jesus lived a life that exemplified wisdom in its purest form. Jesus was all about us living in ways that are synergistic with The Holy by loving God and loving others. James put it this way, “Where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.” (James 3:16-18)

Living as Christians in a broken world is hard and it begins with living for others. Let me share some examples from the past:

Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

St. Francis of Assisi

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Charles D. Meigs: 

“Lord, help me live from day to day in such a self-forgetful way that even when I kneel to pray, my prayer shall be for __ OTHERS. Help me in all the work I do to ever be sincere and true and know that all I’d do for you, must needs be done for __ OTHERS. Let “Self” be crucified and slain, and buried deep; and all in vain may efforts be to rise again unless to live for __ OTHERS.

And when my work on earth is done, and my new work in Heaven’s begun, May I forget the crown I’ve won, while thinking still of __ OTHERS. __ Others, Lord, yes, others. Let this my motto be, help me to live for others, that I may live like Thee.”

Christian living is wisdom living. Lord, teach me how…….. Blessings, Mike.  

Tell Your Story

On one particular day in February, for most of my life, my grandmother would pull me to the side and tell me a story, a story of family. She would always begin with, “It was cold, snowy day and most of the roads were closed between here and Birmingham…” then go on to say how the weather had quickly turned bad, just prior to taking my mother to the hospital, that day. She continued her tale about how my dad was in the Air Force stationed somewhere in Nebraska and was trying to get home but was stopped short in Birmingham, Al. at the bus station due to the snow. The only way for him to get home was to hitchhike, which in those days was safer, so that is what he did. 

Everyone was at the hospital waiting on my Dad and anticipating the birth of their first child. He didn’t make it in time for the birth, but he did make it later into the night. Once he arrived, his story was more vivid as he had to walk a couple of miles in the snow in sock feet because he had given his boots to a lady who was in the same predicament, trying to get home, and all she had was high heels. Well, they both caught the same truck into town, he got his shoes back and she went on to south Alabama. The story was something special to my grandmother because it spoke of the determination and strength of the human spirit when a person sets their mind to make something seemingly impossible happen.

Every year the story was enhanced somewhat with the snow getting deeper, the distance walked in sock feet became a little further, the temperature a little lower, and so on and so forth, but all in all, the story and the outcome was basically the same. I remember as I grew older how much I did not like being told the same story year after year, but my grandmother revelled in the telling it so I would patiently listen, eyes rolling, waiting for it to end so I could escape the unwanted attention. Some of the details are vague when it comes to the story because, after a while, I quit listening, but the memory of the joy it brought my grandmother to enlighten me and anyone within earshot, is crystal clear in my mind.

As I ponder this memory, I recall how uncomfortable it made me to be the center of attention for just a moment in time on those birthday celebrations, long ago and how much I did not want to hear the story. However, today as I remember those times, years after the passing of my parents and grandparents, I think I would like to hear the story, a story of family, shared just once more, poured out with all the joy, happiness and love in the words and voice of my grandmother.

We all have a story. Our life is filled with memories of good things and bad things, happy times and sad times, times of success and times of failure, times of celebration and times of sacrament. These stories mold and shape our lives and make us who we are. Our past experiences, if evaluated can help us to stretch and grow to reach our potential in life. We need to take the time to evaluate our experiences, to dissect the events, use the knowledge, our stories and the teachable moments to provide us with wisdom to help us become an example for others to make a difference and add value. 

Jesus conveyed His wisdom to His followers through parables or stories used to illustrate examples of unconditional love, joy, faith, and hope. As leaders, wisdom can be our best friend, especially in times of decision. For example, He teaches us through the telling of the stories such as the Ten Talents in Matthew 25, which is near and dear to my heart because at times, I am the one who buried his talent under a stone and I need to be reminded on occasions we are gifted skills and talents to share not hoard. 

Wisdom gifts us a foundation that helps us draw conclusions at times we have an impasse in our lives. As leaders, we need to understand the foundation for every decision is to honor and revere God. The story above is sort of my heritage, it is mine and mine alone, but I have found it to be useful, especially when I can tell it to our grandchildren and share with them the determination and love of family it describes. We must build off this heritage and conscience to illustrate what values we need to embrace. As leaders, as we pursue wisdom, we first go to the facts, then to our options. Once we have a consensus of mind and heart, then we must move toward inward peace.

I encourage each of us to tell our stories. Use these precious moments to share with others about how God has enlightened us to the fact we are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image to make a difference and add value to all those surrounding us. Psalm 139:14

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell