If

Image from http://www.hermitagemuseum.org

My close friend Danny V. loaned me the book The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri J.M. Nouwen. While reading this morning these couple of paragraphs jumped off the page, thought I should share them.

At issue here is the question: "To whom do I belong? God or to the world?" Many of my daily preoccupations suggest that I belong more to the world than to God. A little criticism makes me angry, and a little rejection makes me depressed. A little praise raises my spirits, and a little success excites me. It takes very little to raise me up or thrust me down. Often I am like a small boat on the ocean, completely at the mercy of its waves. All the time and energy I spend in keeping some kind of balance and preventing myself from being tipped over and drowning shows that my life is mostly a struggle for survival: not a holy struggle, but an anxious struggle resulting from the mistaken idea that it is the world that defines me.

As long as I keep running about asking: "Do you love me? Do you really love me?" I give all power to the voices of the world and put myself in bondage because the world is filled with "ifs." The world says: "Yes, I love you if you are good-looking, intelligent, and wealthy. I love you if you have a good education, a good job, and good connections. I love you if you produce much, sell much, and buy much." There are endless "ifs" hidden in the world's love. These "ifs" enslave me, since it is impossible to respond adequately to all of them. The world's love is and always will be conditional. As long as I keep looking for my true self in the world of conditional love, I will remain "hooked" to the world-trying, failing,and trying again. It is a world that fosters addictions because what it offers cannot satisfy the deepest craving of my heart.

What would happen today if we stopped turning to the world for validation? What would happen today if we listened to the small voice inside instead of letting the world drown it out? What would happen today if we opened ourselves up to God's love? What would happen today if we stood together as men of God and pushed back the darkness of the world?

What would happen today...?

1 Kings 19:11-12

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

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Thanks

This morning while I was drinking coffee and mapping out my day I wanted to check the weather on a local television stations website. When the page loaded I looked at the forecast and checked out a couple of the news stories. Then I noticed a link - The trapped Chilean miners are being rescued now! Click here for LIVE streaming coverage. So I clicked on it and sure enough it was a live feed from Chile. I watched for a few minutes as a few guys were standing around the hole where the capsule was being raised by a cable and crane. When the capsule emerged from the ground the workers helped the miner out and cheered because he was safe. After removing the safety equipment he walked over to his wife and hugged her and held her for a long time. But what he did next was what got me, he fell to his knees and prayed.

What would happen today if we had the faith of these men? What would happen today if we had the persistence of the rescuers? What would happen today if we had the faith of the families? What would happen today if we fell to our knees and thanked God for our rescue?

What would happen today...?

Isaiah 12:3-5 (NIV)

³ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴ In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. ⁵ Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.

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Hero

video from the CBS Early Show

"I thank God that He put me here to help out that little girl that's for sure."

What would happen today if we followed where God is leading us to help someone? What would happen today if we overcame fear and did the right thing? What would happen today if we defeated the indifference the enemy plants in our minds? What would happen today if we were humble in our victories and gave the glory to God?

What would happen today...?

1 Samuel 17:49

Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

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Mentor

In the book The Mentor Leader author Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Super Bowl winning Indianapolis Colts, tells about an opportunity he had to mentor a young man who had put himself into a situation that landed him in prison. That man is Micheal Vick. Vick was a raising star in the NFL playing quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. He was known for his speed and athleticism which gave him the reputation as a game breaker. At the top of his game in 2007 Vick was arrested and plead guilty to felony dog-fighting charges (animal cruelty) and served 21 months in federal prison.

Dungy writes:

To all appearances, Michael Vick was wildly successful-wealthy, at the top of his profession, and in the public eye. But as we all learned, there was more to the story. For all his worldly success, was he building a life of significances?-

- Before his time in prison, I'm sure there were times when Micheal thought about the great opportunity God had given him. I know he thought about his family, his teammates, and the fans all over the country who looked up to him. But I don't think he ever contemplated the responsibility that goes along with a leadership position, whether in leading his family or his team, or being a role model for so many other young men.

When Micheal's succssful career was brought to a halt and he had time to think about it, he came to the conclusion that he hadn't done his part as a leader. God had blessed him with uncommon talent, and Micheal had used it to rise to the top of his profession. Unfortunately, he realized he hadn't helped the people around him as much as he could have. And he wanted to do that-starting with his family, and then, he hoped, with another football team, if he were given the opportunity. But he also wanted to reach to all the young boys who looked up to him, who wore his jersey, and who wrote him letters while he was in prison asking why he wasn't playing anymore. Could he still do those things? Could he still have that impact for good?

That's why I chose to work with Micheal Vick. That's why I got involved in his life. I saw a young man in need, and I had an opportunity to do something. But more than that, I accepted the responsibility to perhaps provide a moment of significance in his life-a moment that would help him get his life back on track. I did what so many others had done for me- the things that have helped me become more the person I am and the person I want to be than I ever could have done on my own. You never know how these things will turn out, but you've got to be willing to try.

There are several elements of this story that I believe to be significant. First, I think the fact that Vick owned up to his mistake and plead guilty to the charges and served his time, shows integrity. Most men in that position would have plead innocent and had gone to trail hoping to be found not guilty or to lesson the punishment. Second, while in prison he repented of his sin and asked for forgiveness (even though it is not mentioned, it is implied). Third, because of the repentance God put Dungy in his life, to help him become the man that He had intended him to be from the beginning. Lastly, the fact the Dungy was willing to follow the prompting that God had led him. Dungy poured himself into the life of a man who needed the help that only by the grace of God he could provide.

What would happen today if we followed the prompting that God is leading us to? What would happen today if we took a stand against the enemy who has brought down so many good men? What would happen today if we mentored someone in trouble, poured ourselves into him and helped him with his walk like so many others have done for us? What would happen today if we banded together to mentor each other as brothers in Christ?

What would happen today...?

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

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