Since January, major earthquakes have hit Haiti, Chile and Argentina taking thousands of lives. England, Germany, the United States and other industrialized nations continue to increase their government debt while posing a threat to the world’s financial markets. Extreme Islamic terrorism which drove the 9/11 attacks, continues as a daily threat in America and across many other nations. War-like tensions continue brewing between Iran and Israel and North and South Korea. Violent crime in metropolitan areas like New York City and Chicago are killing more people then are dying in the war in Afghanistan. Political battles over health care, illegal immigration and the economy are creating nationwide division across the country. The moral fabric of our world continues to decline with people calling right wrong and wrong right.
What’s happening? Where is all this going? How should we live in the midst of all this? Some people may have watched too many movies and are ready to dive into their bunker preparing for the end. For the rest of us, let me provide some suggestions to help us live confidently in turbulent times.
Love others. Overcome the polarizing differences in our world with love. Demonstrate love by praying to God for the people who oppose you. And show love through actions. Do acts of kindness towards your opposition. Defeat evil with good.
Be holy. To be holy means to separate yourself from sinful things. It is like choosing to be honest in a dishonest world or to be sexually pure in a sexually promiscuous world. There seems to be no moral restraint with a tsunami of sinful and wicked behavior touching the entire globe. Go against the current. Be holy.
Humbly submit to one another. Open defiance of authority is everywhere. These attitudes and actions against parents, employers and government only deepen the divide. Only humble and mutual submission towards one another will bridge the divide and allow each other’s voices to be heard.
Live justly. There is much corruption and deceit from Washington to Main Street and even in our own homes. There must be a remnant who will hold up the banner of truth. Sometimes people should be confronted and issues exposed. May we stand for justice in wisdom with gentleness and respect.
Turn to Jesus. Our world needs help. The real and lasting help we need will not come from government, media, education, upright living, time, or good strategies. We need Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life we desperately need. Our hearts can be troubled when looking at the global landscape. Jesus once said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Let us put our trust in Jesus. Only He can give us true and enduring peace in a world filled with worried and anxiety-laden people. May Jesus bring you hope for today.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Commencement Wisdom
This month 3.1 million students are expected to graduate from high school and hundreds of thousands will be receiving their college diploma. The teenagers and twenty-something’s will reach a milestone and have a new beginning for themselves. Here are a few pieces of commencement wisdom I would like to pass along to each graduate.
Rejoice and celebrate your achievement. Years have been invested to get to this point. Do not let it slide by without enjoying the moment. Achieving something is more fun when we celebrate the accomplishment.
Recall the people that helped you make it. No man is an island to himself. Thank your parents for any encouragement they provided and take a moment to understand the emotions they are experiencing, as their little boy or girl from years ago will soon be leaving home. Thank your teachers for their investment. Thank the friends who were always there.
Release the heartache connected with the journey. Your celebration may be bittersweet. Perhaps there is conflict within your family. Maybe you have had a hard time fitting in or you carry a broken heart. Whatever it is, you can choose to hold onto the pain or release it. Vow to let go of the past when you receive that diploma and embrace a new future.
Resolve to never give up. There were challenges in reaching this day and there will be challenges tomorrow. Researchers say that there was 27% of this year’s class that never made it to high school graduation and 44% that never made it to college graduation. You did. You overcame. Accept the fact that you will have obstacles, but resolve to learn from them and never give up.
Remember the Creator. A wise old King once said, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). It is very easy to forget God or to no longer believe He exists in the days of youth. A sense of adventure, a desire to question, being at the peak of energy and strength, living for the moment and a feeling of independence can all lead there. There are many benefits with youth, but also some drawbacks. In the zeal for life, the tendency to live for self and forget God is a major one. Yet, He has a way of keeping us in-check. God has said there will be a day of reckoning, where we all must stand before Him and give an account for how we have lived.
As you reach this milestone, may you make the most of it by becoming a follower of God’s only Son, Jesus. This is the best way to start this new beginning in your life. Turn from your ways and seek His ways, the One who made you and knows you best. May your Creator bring you hope for today and your future.
Rejoice and celebrate your achievement. Years have been invested to get to this point. Do not let it slide by without enjoying the moment. Achieving something is more fun when we celebrate the accomplishment.
Recall the people that helped you make it. No man is an island to himself. Thank your parents for any encouragement they provided and take a moment to understand the emotions they are experiencing, as their little boy or girl from years ago will soon be leaving home. Thank your teachers for their investment. Thank the friends who were always there.
Release the heartache connected with the journey. Your celebration may be bittersweet. Perhaps there is conflict within your family. Maybe you have had a hard time fitting in or you carry a broken heart. Whatever it is, you can choose to hold onto the pain or release it. Vow to let go of the past when you receive that diploma and embrace a new future.
Resolve to never give up. There were challenges in reaching this day and there will be challenges tomorrow. Researchers say that there was 27% of this year’s class that never made it to high school graduation and 44% that never made it to college graduation. You did. You overcame. Accept the fact that you will have obstacles, but resolve to learn from them and never give up.
Remember the Creator. A wise old King once said, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). It is very easy to forget God or to no longer believe He exists in the days of youth. A sense of adventure, a desire to question, being at the peak of energy and strength, living for the moment and a feeling of independence can all lead there. There are many benefits with youth, but also some drawbacks. In the zeal for life, the tendency to live for self and forget God is a major one. Yet, He has a way of keeping us in-check. God has said there will be a day of reckoning, where we all must stand before Him and give an account for how we have lived.
As you reach this milestone, may you make the most of it by becoming a follower of God’s only Son, Jesus. This is the best way to start this new beginning in your life. Turn from your ways and seek His ways, the One who made you and knows you best. May your Creator bring you hope for today and your future.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Forgiving Others
“I will never forgive him for what he did!” Have you ever said that to yourself about someone who deeply hurt you? Imagine if you are in a relationship and you are cheated on. It would be hard to forgive. Right now, the families of high profile figures like Tiger Woods, Governor Mark Sanford and former Senator John Edwards are walking through this.
When someone you trust lies, physically abuses, verbally intimidates, tricks or uses you – it hurts. It causes emotional injuries that swell up into resentment, anger or bitterness, which all lead to unforgiveness.
What can you do when someone hurts you? 1) Bury it and never talk about it again. 2) Sever the relationship ties through divorce, quitting the job or ignoring the person. 3) Get revenge and make the person pay.
Is there a better way? Yes. Forgiveness. The person who has hurt or injured you emotionally is a “debtor”. They owe you. They owe you an apology, the effort to make things right or just something for the pain they caused. Forgiveness means you choose to “write off” their debt so you are no longer demanding the person apologize, make things right or do something to take away the pain.
Why forgive? First, because it is realistic and pro-active. In real life, the person who hurt you probably will not or simply cannot make things right on your terms. Therefore, forgiveness takes the first step and forgives rather than waits. Second, forgiveness heals. Only forgiveness can heal the resentment, anger or bitterness. It is a self-healing medication that you have the power to give yourself. Otherwise, you will carry the injury for the rest of your life.
The ultimate example on how to forgive is found in God. You and I hurt God through our sins. They were an offense and angered Him. As a result, we became a “debtor” to God. Even so, in an act of amazing grace and mercy, He took initiative to provide a way for our forgiveness. He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the debt for our sins against Him.
I pray that we can learn from God’s example. As He extended grace and mercy to us who offended Him, may we extend the same towards those who have offended us. Jesus said, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14). In Him may you find hope for today.
When someone you trust lies, physically abuses, verbally intimidates, tricks or uses you – it hurts. It causes emotional injuries that swell up into resentment, anger or bitterness, which all lead to unforgiveness.
What can you do when someone hurts you? 1) Bury it and never talk about it again. 2) Sever the relationship ties through divorce, quitting the job or ignoring the person. 3) Get revenge and make the person pay.
Is there a better way? Yes. Forgiveness. The person who has hurt or injured you emotionally is a “debtor”. They owe you. They owe you an apology, the effort to make things right or just something for the pain they caused. Forgiveness means you choose to “write off” their debt so you are no longer demanding the person apologize, make things right or do something to take away the pain.
Why forgive? First, because it is realistic and pro-active. In real life, the person who hurt you probably will not or simply cannot make things right on your terms. Therefore, forgiveness takes the first step and forgives rather than waits. Second, forgiveness heals. Only forgiveness can heal the resentment, anger or bitterness. It is a self-healing medication that you have the power to give yourself. Otherwise, you will carry the injury for the rest of your life.
The ultimate example on how to forgive is found in God. You and I hurt God through our sins. They were an offense and angered Him. As a result, we became a “debtor” to God. Even so, in an act of amazing grace and mercy, He took initiative to provide a way for our forgiveness. He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the debt for our sins against Him.
I pray that we can learn from God’s example. As He extended grace and mercy to us who offended Him, may we extend the same towards those who have offended us. Jesus said, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14). In Him may you find hope for today.
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