“Hey, did you hear about…”
I bet you have heard that phrase a lot of times!
Maybe you have even said it more than heard it?
It intrigues me how much we want to talk about someone else.
How we sometimes seem driven to share with others some ‘juicy’ or ‘exciting’ detail about someone.
It is like some thing takes over us and we feel we must just ‘share’ the latest in news...again about someone else!
Now we can be more sophisticated about it…
We can publish details and even photo’s on things like facebook to get our point across.
And then if the ‘someone’ we have been speaking about gets upset, we tell them to ‘chill’, that they are over reacting, that it is just a little fun...
And I am just as bad as everyone else at times.
And I am not happy about it.
What is this about?
Why is this such a strong impulse?
What effect does it have?
Does it do any good?
I think everything we do should have seasoning.
Just like when I eat my dinner I instinctively grab some freshly ground pepper and natural sea salt.
God wants us to season everything we do with ‘love’.
If you read 1 Corinthians 13 you get the idea…
That God thinks nothing I do is that great if ‘love’ has no part of it.
If you really do ‘love’ like we are encouraged to do...you are seasoned to not do something or say something about them that will potentially hurt them.
Love looks to do the complete opposite.
Love looks to do the best for someone, to protect them.
Love even has the ability to cover over sin (1 Peter 4:8).
Proverbs 18:8
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.
The reality is that gossip is fun.
It tastes good going down.
But it is not much good after that.
In 2 Corinthians the writer doesn’t have much good to say about gossip. He equates with every other thing we easily consider wrong.
So this week, can I challenge you?
...as I challenge even myself…
Let’s try not to gossip.
But lets try to love each other just that little bit more.
Let's season our thoughts and comments before we let them out.
I think that is a good thing to do...
Something to think about…
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
I got a shock today when I found out a good mate of mine was in New Zealand after a long time away overseas…
I want to tell you a little about our relationship.
Just hearing he was back made me think of a story to tell you. I think it is cool!
On one of his last quick visits a number of years a go now, we did our usual…
We got together a few times and ate stuff!
I remember going out for many lunches and just enjoying each others company.
One day after eating way too much we sat down to talk about our shared love of music and where we were both at with it.
He shared his dream of travelling Europe in a band.
My dreams were a little closer to home.
Then we moved onto sharing some of the songs we had written. We played some we both knew of each other.
Some of his.
Some of mine.
...and then he asked me a dreaded question…
“Have I written anything new lately?”
I partly didn’t want to answer.
You see, I had been working on a song.
But I thought it wasn’t any good.
It was too simple.
The words weren’t clever.
There wasn’t much complicated about the music.
...but her talked me into sharing it with him.
After playing it, I was wanting for him to confirm my suspicions, that it was indeed too average for anyone else to ever enjoy.
His reaction wasn’t that at all.
He loved it.
He loved it so much that he asked if he could have it for his own band to play.
In one moment I went from unconfident to confident over a simple song!
Why?
Because someone I cared about encouraged me!
Because of that moment of encouragement I worked some more on the song.
It went on to be one of the most requested songs when I was in my band.
We even used to sing it at church…
1 Thessalonians 5:11
...encourage one another and build each other up...
You have no idea what one simple word or comment of encouragement can do. It can change someone’s life!
How about this week you look for an opportunity to do that for someone.
Speak to them.
Encourage them.
And change their life!
Something to think about…
I want to tell you a little about our relationship.
Just hearing he was back made me think of a story to tell you. I think it is cool!
On one of his last quick visits a number of years a go now, we did our usual…
We got together a few times and ate stuff!
I remember going out for many lunches and just enjoying each others company.
One day after eating way too much we sat down to talk about our shared love of music and where we were both at with it.
He shared his dream of travelling Europe in a band.
My dreams were a little closer to home.
Then we moved onto sharing some of the songs we had written. We played some we both knew of each other.
Some of his.
Some of mine.
...and then he asked me a dreaded question…
“Have I written anything new lately?”
I partly didn’t want to answer.
You see, I had been working on a song.
But I thought it wasn’t any good.
It was too simple.
The words weren’t clever.
There wasn’t much complicated about the music.
...but her talked me into sharing it with him.
After playing it, I was wanting for him to confirm my suspicions, that it was indeed too average for anyone else to ever enjoy.
His reaction wasn’t that at all.
He loved it.
He loved it so much that he asked if he could have it for his own band to play.
In one moment I went from unconfident to confident over a simple song!
Why?
Because someone I cared about encouraged me!
Because of that moment of encouragement I worked some more on the song.
It went on to be one of the most requested songs when I was in my band.
We even used to sing it at church…
1 Thessalonians 5:11
...encourage one another and build each other up...
You have no idea what one simple word or comment of encouragement can do. It can change someone’s life!
How about this week you look for an opportunity to do that for someone.
Speak to them.
Encourage them.
And change their life!
Something to think about…
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
As I drove to an event on Saturday I had some time to think...I was thinking about what God is doing in my life.Thinking about what he might be wanting to do in my life.Wondering if I really do want God to do anything he wants in my life...
For years I have been at church services where we have sung about this thing we call surrender.
The whole idea of surrendering your will for His.
When you are in the moment with God in a service, it is really simple I think.
The reality after the moment is where it becomes more challenging. Maybe even a test.
Surrender can seem to many of us such a negative thing…
Our examples of surrender we have seen don’t always lead to positive results. Every movie I have seen shows people who surrender as people who have lost.
It is like you lose something that someone else takes by force from you.
But as with most things in the Kingdom of God…...it is a little different.
I believe that surrender in Gods eyes is not focused on what you give up, but more on what can be gained.
Romans 6:16 (nlt)
Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)?
Surrender is ultimately saying to someone else, that they know best. “Have your way in my life”.
With God surrender takes you beyond where you are now.
It will even unlock more of your life, not restrict it.
So I was driving.
And I surrendered once again to what God wants to do in my life. I decided that is the way I want to go. God’s way.
I want everything that he has for me, not just what I know now...
So this week, take a moment...even right now.
Surrender to God whether it be your life or even just a part of it.
…and see what God might do...
Something to think about…
For years I have been at church services where we have sung about this thing we call surrender.
The whole idea of surrendering your will for His.
When you are in the moment with God in a service, it is really simple I think.
The reality after the moment is where it becomes more challenging. Maybe even a test.
Surrender can seem to many of us such a negative thing…
Our examples of surrender we have seen don’t always lead to positive results. Every movie I have seen shows people who surrender as people who have lost.
It is like you lose something that someone else takes by force from you.
But as with most things in the Kingdom of God…...it is a little different.
I believe that surrender in Gods eyes is not focused on what you give up, but more on what can be gained.
Romans 6:16 (nlt)
Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)?
Surrender is ultimately saying to someone else, that they know best. “Have your way in my life”.
With God surrender takes you beyond where you are now.
It will even unlock more of your life, not restrict it.
So I was driving.
And I surrendered once again to what God wants to do in my life. I decided that is the way I want to go. God’s way.
I want everything that he has for me, not just what I know now...
So this week, take a moment...even right now.
Surrender to God whether it be your life or even just a part of it.
…and see what God might do...
Something to think about…
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Now a word of warning about this weeks simple thought...I hope you aren’t too squeamish?
One night my wife and I were invited to our old landlords house for dinner.
We were looking forward to it.
And for me, I loved walking into their home to the smell of something being roasted in the oven.
There is something about that smell.
It reminds me of lots of good things.
It reminds of food that most of the time tastes fantastic.
So as I sat on their couch I have to admit my mouth was warming up to the eating that was about to take place.
My saliva ducts were definitely preparing themselves.
Now these people owned a dog.
A big dog.
If you hadn’t met it before it was quite intimidating!
But as with most dogs, once it got to know you, it was awesome and extremely friendly.
It was this same dog I could see from my vantage point on the couch.
He was slowly walking around the dining room.
He was acting a little strange.
Then all of a sudden he threw up on the carpeted floor.
A huge pile of vomit!We saw it all in its technicolour brilliance.
Now if that wasn’t enough…
Moments later he returns and proceeds to eat what he has just vomited!
Needless to say my feeling on being there for dinner changed quite dramatically.
Gone was the excitement about eating a roast.
Now I was feeling sick!
In proverbs it actually talks about this…
Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
For me this year I have been reminded about how foolish I can be.
I have started the year wanting some things to be different in my life, but found in some areas I have made the same old mistakes. Struggled with the same old dumb habits.
The whole point the writer is trying to explain is that we make mistakes.
But we are only foolish if we keep repeating them. Foolish if we think anything will change by doing nothing about it.
To counter this stuff in my life I have challenged myself.
The challenge is to try new things as much as possible.
That way I have less chance of repeating old habits.
And it is heaps more fun anyway!
Things like…
Eating fish on holiday when I don’t like fish normally.
Every time I go to Denny’s, ordering something different.
Changing my gym routine.
That sort of thing.
As long as you trust God…
And do something about it…
Your life can change!
Something to think about…
One night my wife and I were invited to our old landlords house for dinner.
We were looking forward to it.
And for me, I loved walking into their home to the smell of something being roasted in the oven.
There is something about that smell.
It reminds me of lots of good things.
It reminds of food that most of the time tastes fantastic.
So as I sat on their couch I have to admit my mouth was warming up to the eating that was about to take place.
My saliva ducts were definitely preparing themselves.
Now these people owned a dog.
A big dog.
If you hadn’t met it before it was quite intimidating!
But as with most dogs, once it got to know you, it was awesome and extremely friendly.
It was this same dog I could see from my vantage point on the couch.
He was slowly walking around the dining room.
He was acting a little strange.
Then all of a sudden he threw up on the carpeted floor.
A huge pile of vomit!We saw it all in its technicolour brilliance.
Now if that wasn’t enough…
Moments later he returns and proceeds to eat what he has just vomited!
Needless to say my feeling on being there for dinner changed quite dramatically.
Gone was the excitement about eating a roast.
Now I was feeling sick!
In proverbs it actually talks about this…
Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
For me this year I have been reminded about how foolish I can be.
I have started the year wanting some things to be different in my life, but found in some areas I have made the same old mistakes. Struggled with the same old dumb habits.
The whole point the writer is trying to explain is that we make mistakes.
But we are only foolish if we keep repeating them. Foolish if we think anything will change by doing nothing about it.
To counter this stuff in my life I have challenged myself.
The challenge is to try new things as much as possible.
That way I have less chance of repeating old habits.
And it is heaps more fun anyway!
Things like…
Eating fish on holiday when I don’t like fish normally.
Every time I go to Denny’s, ordering something different.
Changing my gym routine.
That sort of thing.
As long as you trust God…
And do something about it…
Your life can change!
Something to think about…
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
It is funny how something that you never planned…
Would never ask for…
Which may be painful or uncomfortable…
Can afterwards be something you appreciate happening.
Let me explain…
Around 4 weeks a go, I hurt my leg.
Very simply, I tore part of my calf muscle, and I wasn’t too happy about it.
It was frustrating not being able to run or do the gym stuff I have found I really enjoy.
Now I have just about fully recovered.
And I am pleased that it happened.
I am now stronger because of the physio work I had to do.
I found out that I had other leg problems that needed to be addressed, which I would not have found out without the injury.
Long term I will able to do more!
In life, in your walk with God, it is the same.
One minute you feel like everything is going well and then bang...something happens you didn’t expect or you go through some trial. You never enjoy that moment. But later you realise how good that bad moment has been because of the good that comes from it.
The Bible talks about things happening to us for our good.
That God seemingly plans this stuff out to help us and grow us beyond where we are now.
Romans 8:28 says…
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose.
God has vested interested in you growing into the person he has always dreamed you could be.
So maybe next time something ‘bad’ happens, check it out, it could turn out to be something great!
Something to think about…
Would never ask for…
Which may be painful or uncomfortable…
Can afterwards be something you appreciate happening.
Let me explain…
Around 4 weeks a go, I hurt my leg.
Very simply, I tore part of my calf muscle, and I wasn’t too happy about it.
It was frustrating not being able to run or do the gym stuff I have found I really enjoy.
Now I have just about fully recovered.
And I am pleased that it happened.
I am now stronger because of the physio work I had to do.
I found out that I had other leg problems that needed to be addressed, which I would not have found out without the injury.
Long term I will able to do more!
In life, in your walk with God, it is the same.
One minute you feel like everything is going well and then bang...something happens you didn’t expect or you go through some trial. You never enjoy that moment. But later you realise how good that bad moment has been because of the good that comes from it.
The Bible talks about things happening to us for our good.
That God seemingly plans this stuff out to help us and grow us beyond where we are now.
Romans 8:28 says…
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose.
God has vested interested in you growing into the person he has always dreamed you could be.
So maybe next time something ‘bad’ happens, check it out, it could turn out to be something great!
Something to think about…
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