“They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
I learned that old phrase years ago while attempting to be an insurance/investment salesman straight out of college. I was great at getting to know the customer, but saying that I wasn’t born to sell insurance is an understatement. Because of my experience I will forever admire the great salespeople of the world.
Then while at a great church service last night listening to two young men who grew up on the streets of Tajikistan, I was reminded to be the HANDS and FEET of Jesus. NOT just the MOUTH! And that if I am to BE the Church then it will require caring more for people with my actions than I do with my words. Words are cheap and easy. Actions speak louder. So my personal prayer is that my heart would be molded more into the purposes of Christ so that my CARE LEVEL will increase. Join me.
I’m a big My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers fan. It’s a great daily devotional that can deeply move as well as dish out a swift spiritual kick in the pants.
Jesus said in John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
Based off of that, Chambers suggests the following: “It is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling.”
And, “It is difficult, and thank God it is difficult. Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult.”
Frankly, it doesn’t sound that exciting or motivating to lay down my life. And I agree with Chambers that daily laying my life down is difficult. But then Jesus said in verse 15, “I have called you friends”. The Creator calls me His friend, and it’s not because He needs me. God loves me. And I get to be His friend today.
On that note, I leave you with the popular & hilarious “Jesus Is My Friend” by Sonseed.
The China Daily newspaper recently released family planning statistics once considered secret that only boggle the mind. Here’s the article from the Associated Press.
The newspaper reported “that about 13 million surgical abortions are performed in Chinese hospitals and 10 million abortion pills are sold every year.” The surgical abortions alone are equivalent to aborting the entire current population of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Nebraska in a single year.
The most heart-breaking fact, however, is at the end of the AP article that states: “The government says its family planning controls — sterilization, contraception and abortion — have prevented an additional 400 million births over the past three decades.” And that would be aborting the entire United States since the ’70s. Hard to even comprehend.
I’m at a loss for words, so I’ll simply and strongly say again, “Please pray for China”.
Tony Dungy, retired NFL head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, recently wrote an article for Sports Illustrated that blew me away. Tony visited the recently released Michael Vick while the quarterback was still in prison serving his sentence for dogfighting. Unlike many others, Tony is not giving up on Michael Vick.
The best quote of the article included a comment about a recently drafted college quarterback from Kansas State by the name of Josh Freeman. It is important to note that Josh comes from a solid and stable family.
The quote: “What if Michael, who says his father was not a positive influence on his household when he grew up, had had the same family support system that Josh had? Would he have ended up in this situation? I really don’t think so.”
The power of a father’s influence is on display for all of America. I just hope that all of the father’s who watched Vick’s story unfold understand this fact.
My wife and I went on a recent vacation to Eureka Springs, AR. And we had a blast! No children, no work, no worries.
When talking to people about Eureka Springs, a frequented comment is “they have gay pride parades there”. It almost sounds like a warning, and it might be. But something interesting that Pat and I found out about the earthy/hippy folks of Eureka Springs is that they are a community! And they share life together in a powerful way. And, yes, they also have gay-pride parades. But that got me thinking…
When was the last time the Christians in your community packed the main streets to passionately celebrate their King? Is he not worth celebrating? Is he not worth the recognition? I guess we’re all too worried that we might offend somebody! That sure hasn’t stopped other groups.
I’m not exactly certain of this, but maybe as Christians we’re offended because homosexuals show more public celebration about their lifestyle than we do about our reason for living.
salesman straight out of college. I was great at getting to know the customer, but saying that I wasn’t born to sell insurance is an understatement. Because of my experience I will forever admire the great salespeople of the world.
Pray for China. No really. Pray for China.
Tony Dungy, retired NFL head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, recently wrote an article for Sports Illustrated that blew me away. Tony visited the recently released Michael Vick while the quarterback was still in prison serving his sentence for dogfighting. Unlike many others, Tony is not giving up on Michael Vick.
The quote: “What if Michael, who says his father was not a positive influence on his household when he grew up, had had the same family support system that Josh had? Would he have ended up in this situation? I really don’t think so.”
My wife and I went on a recent vacation to Eureka Springs, AR. And we had a blast! No children, no work, no worries.