Don't disqualify yourself just because your beginnings are humble

Not long ago, I had a conversation with a friend who was lamenting certain aspects of his life story with the thought that his background didn't really offer him many advantages in life. In his estimation, he didn't grow up in a place of prominence. He didn't come from a family that was well off financially. And he treated these aspects of his personal experience as if they created some sort of upper limit that might hinder him from doing meaningful things.

Hearing him reflect on his life caused me to reflect on my life as well, and it made me ask the question, "If you come from humble beginnings, does that create an upper limit on how God might be able to use your life?"

I started reflecting on some of the things this world might tell me were my disadvantages. I grew up in a part of Pennsylvania where poverty and drug use are far too common. Our family experienced major conflict and disruption when I was in elementary school. My parents didn't stay together. I moved twelve times before graduating high school. Two of those homes should have been condemned. One was eventually torn down because it was beyond repair. The most stable house I lived in during that time was a government subsidized apartment complex.

We didn't have much money. Our utilities were regularly shut off, and I had no idea that the large blocks of cheese we were regularly snacking on were supplied by a social assistance program run by the state. As soon as I finished high school, I left town and rarely came back to visit. I borrowed money to go to college without realizing how hard it would be to pay back, worked two jobs while taking classes to help pay for school, got married the day after I finished my last class, and started my first full-time job as a pastor at a small country church a few weeks later.

By the grace of God, my adult life is much different than my childhood was. The Lord has blessed me in ways I certainly don't deserve, and I'm grateful that He protected my mind from adopting the belief that the disadvantages I experienced at a previous stage needed to define my life going forward. He's also been teaching me that some of those early disadvantages were actually blessings in disguise that have been a great advantage to me in other ways.

What about your story? Do you come from humble beginnings? Have you mistakenly believed that those humble beginnings might prevent the Lord from doing something really special with your life? Could it be possible that the Lord gave you your humble beginnings as a gift to teach you things you wouldn't have learned any other way? Is it also possible that He was using your humble circumstances to prepare your heart to understand what really matters most in this world?

I. Your starting point doesn't need to be impressive for you to be effective

"Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman.  The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.  When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank.  And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him." (Exodus 2:1-4)

One of the most revered men of the Bible is Moses. Many of us look at his life and his faith, and we're in awe of the ways the Lord used him to do some very significant things. But how much time do we spend thinking about where he started and how many things were stacked against him at an early age?

At the time Moses was born, the people of Israel lived as slaves within the borders of Egypt. They had lived there for 430 years, since the time of Joseph, but as their population grew, the Pharaoh became concerned that their numbers were growing too rapidly and they might pose a threat to the security of the nation. He ordered that they be oppressed as slaves and that their infant sons be murdered. Specifically, he decreed that their baby boys be cast into the Nile River.

That obviously posed a dilemma for every God-fearing Hebrew family, and when Moses was born, his mother did her best to hide and protect him. She did this as long as she could, but by the time he was three months old, that wasn't possible any longer. So instead of tossing him into the Nile, she did something shrewd. She took a basket, made it water-tight, put Moses in it and placed the basket in the reeds by the river bank where it wouldn't float away. His older sister kept watch over him from a distance. This was done at a location where Pharaoh's daughter would come and bathe, and when she saw the baby, she had compassion on him and raised him as her own son.

When you look at the details of Moses' life, you can see the hand of God upon him the entire time. His life presents a series of low moments and high moments, but it was clear that the Lord was lifting him up and putting him right where he needed to be in order to do what he was called to do.

When I look at Moses' life, I'm also reminded that your starting point doesn't need to be impressive for you to be effective. You might be born among slaves that are forced to give you up. You might be floating in a little basket on the edge of the Nile, unable to do anything for yourself other than cry. But if God has a plan for you, which He most certainly does, He can orchestrate the most unlikely of circumstances to work in your favor and cause you to be raised up. He can rescue your seemingly hopeless life and put you in a place where you can impact the lives of many others for their good and for His glory.

II. A humble life is a useful tool in the Lord's hands

"Moses was a very humble man, more so than anyone on the face of the earth." (Numbers 12:3, CSB)

Humility is a word we're all familiar with, but many people define it incorrectly. Most often when I hear that word used, people seem to think it means to think poorly of oneself or to be somewhat down on yourself. But that's not what biblical humility looks like. Biblical humility involves understanding who you are in relation to God. God is perfect, we are not. God is all-knowing, we are not. God is creative, and we are creative on a lesser scale because we were created in His image. God is powerful, and those who trust in Jesus have access to His power, a power much greater than our own. That's the essence of biblical humility. We understand who God is and we understand who we are in light of that truth.

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less." -C.S. Lewis

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you." -C.S. Lewis

George Washington Carver, the scientist who developed hundreds of useful products from the peanut once stated, “When I was young, I said to God, ‘God, tell me the mystery of the universe.’ But God answered, ‘That knowledge is reserved for me alone.’ So I said, ‘God, tell me the mystery of the peanut.’ Then God said, ‘Well, George, that’s more nearly your size.’ And he told me.” -Adapted from Rackham Holt, George Washington Carver

A humble life is quite useful in God's hands. I think that becomes pretty clear when we observe the life of Moses. I also think it's fascinating to consider that Scripture tells us that during the course of his life, there was no one on the face of the earth who was more humble than Moses. I suspect that interacting with God as much as Moses did certainly helped him develop an attitude of humility that genuinely glorified the Lord and put Moses in a position where God could steer his humble heart.

Is your heart open to being steered by the Lord? Are you needlessly berating yourself and perpetually putting yourself down, or have you developed a mature understanding of who you are in light of who He is?

III. Humility helps you identify and meet the needs of others

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 2:3-5)

Recently, a friend was telling me about what Christmas was like at his home when he was a child. He told me that his mother would lavish more gifts upon him and his brother than they knew what to do with. She had grown up with very little so she made a point to bless her sons with everything she felt like she once lacked. In fact, she spent the majority of her adult life caring for the needs of her sons, even at great personal cost to herself. This was her expression of love.

When we adopt a mindset of biblical humility, we learn to identify and meet the needs of others, even if the process of doing so is costly and painful. There's no greater example of this than the sacrificial service we see demonstrated in the life of Jesus. Even though Jesus is one with the Father, He didn't selfishly hold on to His divine rights and privileges. Rather, He submitted Himself to the will of the Father, demonstrated perfect humility, and placed our needs above His own comforts when He came to this earth to secure our salvation.

It's also interesting to observe that when Jesus came to this earth, He wasn't born in a castle. He was essentially born in a barn to two humble people who weren't highly esteemed by this world. And after His birth, the first visitors to come and see Him were a band of simple shepherds who were humble enough to listen to the instructions of the angels who announced His birth.

If Jesus Christ, the Son of God who created and sustains the universe by His powerful word was willing to exhibit humility in order to serve us and meet our needs, what kind of mindset should we be aiming to develop as the Holy Spirit transforms the way we think and live in this world? Our mindset should be the exact same as the mindset of Jesus where we look not only to our own interests, but the interests of others.

IV. In the Lord's system, the humble will be exalted

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:11)

In the world's system, the humble are pitied. In the Lord's system, however, the humble are lifted up. Jesus made it clear that the humble will be exalted while the proud will eventually be humbled.

So if you're interested in pursuing the dreams, desires, and calling God has placed on your life, don't disqualify yourself from those possibilities just because you may come from humble circumstances. From what I see in God's word, He has a great habit of taking people with humble beginnings and doing things with their lives that are far beyond anything they would have expected or imagined.

© John Stange, 2021

Are you living with a strong sense of God's calling on your life?

Your life is not an accident. You were born when you were born, and where you were born on purpose. You look a particular way, sound a particular way, and function according to a divine design. You have gifts, abilities, and talents that have been supernaturally entrusted to you. There are open doors and opportunities right in front of you that you've been uniquely designed to walk through, seize, and embrace.

Every single thing that I just said is 100% true, but it's also true that you may not believe me. It's entirely possible that you'd believe me if I said those things about someone else, but you struggle to believe these declarative statements could possibly be true of yourself.

What if I told you that God has an artfully crafted purpose for your life and He wants to use it to make an impact in the present that reverberates into eternity. Would you believe me or would you laugh at that concept? Does it even seem possible that the very One who spoke creation into existence would care to notice you, your situation, or your strengths? Among the billions of people who have walked the face of this earth how can it be that the Lord would pay special attention to you and map out a divinely orchestrated plan for your life?

I spend a lot of time reading the Bible because I believe that collection of writings is unlike any other text that's ever been produced. I believe every single word of the Bible was divinely superintended and inspired by a loving Creator who communicates with humanity and desires to initiate a relationship with us. And just as He facilitated and oversaw the articulation of every word of that book, so too does He oversee every human life. He gave you life. He's watching you live it, and He wants to work through you to do something amazing with it.

But if you don't want to believe what I'm saying, you won't. You can easily ignore it. In fact, that's what the vast majority of the billions of people walking this planet are doing. Many don't even believe there's a Creator, and among those who are willing to acknowledge that He exists, they certainly aren't convinced that He has a calling on their life.

What about you? What do you believe? What do you dream about? What do you desire? Are you living with a strong sense of God's calling on your life?

I. What is the mission you've been given?

And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”   And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.   But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” (Acts 9:4-6)

It's impossible to read the book of Acts without being struck by the transformation that took place in the Apostle Paul's life. Before he came to know Christ and took the name of Paul, he was known as Saul. Saul hated Jesus, hated Christians, hated the church, and did everything within his power to discourage others from following Christ.

But that all changed, in an instant, when Jesus appeared to Saul and confronted his persecution. Several things stand out to me about this confrontation.

First of all, when Saul heard the voice of Jesus, he didn't know who was speaking to him. I find that very ironic, especially in light of the fact that up to that point, Saul thought he was doing God's will by imprisoning Christians or approving their execution. But when God actually spoke to Saul, Saul had to admit that the voice was unfamiliar. Up to that point, he spent his life ignoring the voice of God. Now God was speaking to him in a way that he couldn't continue to ignore.

Second, I love the fact that Jesus took the initiative to reach into Saul's life, even though Saul wasn't looking for Him. This mirrors our relationship with Christ as well. We weren't looking for Him. We were ignoring Him, but He came looking for us and He called us unto Himself.

Third, I enjoy reading about the mission Saul was given. Foreshadowing what Saul's life was going to look like from now on, Jesus said to him, "rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” Things were about to change for Saul. His mission was going to be laid out for him in very specific detail, and Saul was going to dedicate every ounce of his energy to fulfilling it.

What about you? Do you have a clear sense of your mission? Have you heard the voice of Jesus speaking to you in some way? Through your circumstances? Through the counsel of others who know Him? Through the Scriptures? And if you're finally hearing His voice, are you ready to move in the direction He's leading you?

II. Who have you been called to serve?

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:15-16)

On Friday evenings, almost without exception, Andrea and I go out to eat. There are several local restaurants that we enjoy, and we try to alternate where we eat so we don't get sick of the same thing.

Because we're such regular customers, the servers recognize us, and we recognize them. We also know which servers offer the best service. At one restaurant, we hold our breath hoping not to get one particular server because she almost never stops by our table. She's pleasant, but scatter-brained and inattentive. At another restaurant, we've discovered that one of their servers goes above and beyond to make sure we have a delightful experience. Most recently when we ate there and she told us she would be our server that evening, I said out loud, "Oh good! We were hoping you'd be our server this evening." I hope that made her feel good because her heart for service is exceptional.

Saul was about to learn about the concept of service in a brand new way after encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus. Saul was blinded by that encounter, and his companions led him by the hand into the city. In Damascus, there was a Christian man named Ananias, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision to prepare him for the fact that He was about to send Saul (who had a reputation for persecuting Christians) to his house. The Lord commissioned Ananias to lay his hands on Saul, and through that experience, Saul's sight would be restored.

When Ananias initially protested this plan to the Lord, he was told a little more about the Lord's plans for Saul. Jesus revealed that Saul was His chosen instrument to make His name known to the unbelieving world. Saul would experience a great deal of suffering as he gave himself to fulfilling this mission, but just the same, it was how his life would be used going forward. Ananias was obedient to the Lord's instructions. Saul's sight was restored, and he confirmed his new-found faith in Jesus by being baptized immediately afterward.

From that point on, it wasn't a mystery to Saul whom he had been called to serve. Saul was told to carry the name of Jesus before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. These were the specific people Saul (later called Paul) was commissioned to serve, and he had a clear understanding of this calling.

Who have you been called and equipped to serve? God gave you your personality. He even allowed you to develop certain preferences. He has gifted you with natural talents and supernatural gifts. He has given you the opportunity to live where you live, and ordained for you to be born exactly when you were born. He also assures you that you won't be dying one day early (Psalm 139:16). So you're going to be here exactly as long as He wants you to be.

I suspect He's also given you an affinity for certain people, or a burden to serve some particular group, profession, or tribe. Will you serve them, or will you offer up excuses right up until your final day? Is there something getting in the way of you listening to His calling? What voices are you hearing loudest in your head?

III. What voices do you need to start filtering?

But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” (Acts 2:13)

The devil has a playbook that he returns to often. One of his favorite plays is to use mockery to dishearten and discourage God's people. Sometimes, unfortunately, we do his job for him by mocking and berating ourselves. Other times, we give too much power to the harsh voices of our critics, and those voices dissuade us from saying "yes" to the dreams, desires, and calling God has placed on our lives.

Growing up, I had a relative that used to mock me incessantly. I'll keep his identity veiled so as not to incriminate him, but if he ever comes across these words, he'll know instantly who I'm referring to. He was several years older than me, which automatically meant that I looked up to him. I wanted to be just like him, but when I started taking my faith in Christ seriously, he tore me to shreds. He humiliated me before others whenever he had the opportunity to do so, and while that hurt, I eventually needed to come to a spot where I stopped caring about his opinions or listening to his voice. Ironically, when it became clear to him that he had lost his influence over me, he noticeably dialed back his mockery.

The early church was regularly mocked as well. In Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they were mocked by those who didn't have a metric through which to understand the miracle that was taking place right in front of them. When the diverse crowd that spoke different languages was able to understand the preaching of the disciples, some in the crowd mocked them and claimed they were drunk. Sadly, without fully realizing what they were doing, they were equating the power of the Holy Spirit with drunkenness. In effect, they weren't just mocking God's people. They were mocking God Himself.

I suspect that it's possible that there are many believers in this world who have an understanding of God's mission for their lives and could even articulate an accurate description of whom they're called to serve, but they're being held back from doing so because they aren't yet filtering out the mocking voices in their lives. Those voices might be from people who are jealous of them. They might be voices in their head that are rooted in harsh words they received during their childhood. They might be verbal arrows that come at them from people they don't even know. Are you filtering out the voice of mockery in your life so it doesn't keep holding you back?

IV. What's holding you back?

Your life is not an accident. As Scripture shows us, God does amazing things with lives that are submitted over to Him. His mission of redemption through Jesus will advance. His passion to reach the lost will be satisfied. His desire to rescue the perishing will be met. He's going to use someone to do this. Why not you?

Stop talking yourself out of the dreams, desires, and calling God has placed on your life.

© John Stange, 2021

The portrait of a godly woman

The book of Proverbs is filled with practical wisdom regarding every major category of life. In this book, we're taught about the importance of trusting in the Lord, living a godly life, demonstrating honesty and integrity, practicing good financial stewardship, and filtering out the influence of anyone who attempts to steer us in an ungodly direction.

Early in the book, we're also given vivid examples that relate to women, specifically the kind of women we should not allow to gain a foothold in our lives. But now, the book culminates with an example of the kind of woman that everyone can look to as an example of godliness and wise living. The words of this proverb were first taught to King Lemuel by his mother. We know nothing else about either of them, but the Holy Spirit has been using these words for centuries to steer both women and men in a godly direction.

So, what does this proverb teach us about the life and character of a truly godly woman?

I. She can be trusted

An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life. (Proverbs 31:10-12)

One of the things that I appreciate most about the Lord is that everything He says is true. Scripture teaches us that it is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:18), so if we claim to be followers of Christ who are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, we too should reflect the truthful heart of God.

The honest and trustworthy heart of God is clearly reflected in the life of a godly woman. This Scripture describes her as excellent and precious. Her husband is able to trust her completely. He doesn't have to worry about what she's doing, who she's with, what she's spending, or what she's saying. His heart can be at rest knowing that his wife's heart is in alignment with the trustworthy heart of Christ.

I recently learned of a husband who has a trustworthy wife, but he refuses to trust her. He experienced some relational damage in the past, before he even knew her, and now he transposes that pain onto his wife and treats her with distrust due to his past trauma. In essence, he's robbing himself of experiencing the blessing the Lord has graciously given him.

When you get married, you're taking a risk to trust someone else. You can't control what they do or what they don't do with your trust, but you can choose to be trustworthy in your interactions with them. As Christ can be trusted, and as the godly woman in this proverb demonstrated trustworthiness, so too should we display trustworthiness and integrity toward one another.

II. She isn't afraid of work

She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. (Proverbs 31:13-16)

If you ever want to see my wife smile and then immediately roll her eyes, ask her to tell you about all the painting projects I have asked her to help me with over the course of the past few decades. Between houses we lived in and ministries we led, a significant amount of painting was needed. One of our children even told us recently that the smell of paint is the primary smell that reminds her of her childhood. I'm grateful for the work-ethic of my wife.

That's something we also see demonstrated in Proverbs 31. The godly woman in this passage is spoken of as a woman who works with willing hands. She makes great use of materials and tools. She rises early to feed her family and those under her oversight. She is even described as being a shrewd businessperson as she transacts in land purchases.

There is a certain sense of dignity in hard work. We don't work to somehow earn the Lord's favor, but the work we do can be done for His glory as an investment in the greater work of His kingdom. I see that mindset at work in the labors of the godly woman described in this proverb.

III. She carries herself with poise and dignity

She dresses herself with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle. (Proverbs 31:17-19)

Have you ever met someone in person that wasn't anything like how you perceived them to be from a distance? Earlier this year, I met someone that I've known for a while, but I had never actually met her in person. From a distance, she seemed serious and mature. In person, I was left with the exact opposite impression.

A godly woman isn't clothed with immaturity. She's dressed with strength. She demonstrates poise and dignity. She's the type of person that exceeds the impression you had when you only knew her at a distance.

IV. She proactively meets the needs of others

She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple. (Proverbs 31:20-22)

The other day, I read a story of a younger child that started saving up the money she earned from completing household chores. Once she saved a specific amount, she asked her mother to take her to the store so she could buy water bottles, individual size bags of chips, and a few other snacks. Then she asked her mother to take her to an area park where the homeless frequently set up camp, and she gave away the water and snacks until she ran out.

A godly woman demonstrates that kind of heart. It's a heart of compassion. It's the heart of Christ. As Christ has lovingly looked at us with compassion during our season of need, then took action to meet our needs on the deepest level, so too does a woman who lives a godly life. She opens her hands to the poor. She generously shares what she has with those who are in need. Her heart is motivated by Christ to be the hands and feet of Christ to those who need a gift of grace.

I also like how this portion of Scripture tells us that she doesn't need to fear for the well-being of her household because she knows their needs have been proactively met. It can snow, but that's OK because they're all properly clothed. Her care and provision for those she loves allows them to rest, much like what we experience when we learn to trust the Lord to meet our needs. In Christ, we find rest because He has graciously and proactively given us all we need for life and godliness.

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." (2 Peter 1:3, NLT)

V. She makes you look good to your peers

Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come. (Proverbs 31:23-25)

When I was in college, I worked during the semesters and I worked during the summer. The nature of my summer work usually involved working for camping ministries, but the location sometimes changed. I remember one particular summer, just before my senior year, when I was offered the program director position at the camp my wife attended and worked at. They didn't know me very well, but they knew her, and they figured if she was willing to date me, that was a sufficient endorsement. I was literally offered a senior staff position because they thought so well of my wife. Her reputation made me look good.

We see that same concept at work in Proverbs 31. We're told that the husband of the godly woman was known at the gates when he would sit among the elders. That was a position of respect and esteem. At the gates, the elders would make decisions and judgments on behalf of others. To be welcomed among them meant that you were respected by them. A major contributor to a man experiencing that kind of respect in that generation, and in ours, is the godly character of his wife. She reflects the heart of Christ so clearly that she makes anyone she's willing to associate herself with look better than they ever could have on their own.

VI. She generously shares her wisdom

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. (Proverbs 31:26)

One of the wisest women I have ever had the privilege to know was my grandmother. There are so many things that I learned from her that I implement in my day-to-day life and gladly pass down to my children. She loved Jesus, loved her family, and wanted to see the generations that came from her do well and succeed.

This is yet another mark of a godly woman. When she opens her mouth, she speaks with wisdom. Kind words flow forth from her tongue. As one who is conscious of the love of Christ, she breathes out the grace of Christ with the words she speaks.

VII. Those who love her speak well of her

She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:27-31)

Recently, two friends of mine did me a nice favor that certainly met with my wife's approval. They messaged my wife to tell her some of the nice things I had said about her when I was in their presence. I thought that was nice, and I meant every word of it. I don't know why it stood out to them, but it must have made an impression since they decided to repeat it.

And even though as followers of Christ we live to give Him praise, it shouldn't surprise any woman who devotes her life to following Christ, blessing others, and serving people in His name, when she ends up receiving praise and appreciation from those she's been serving. The Scripture tells us that her children rise up and speak well of her, and her husband does the same because a woman "who fears the Lord is to be praised."

I'm sincerely grateful for the godly women the Lord has blessed me with the privilege of knowing throughout the course of my life. That list certainly includes my grandmothers, mother, wife, and daughters. It also includes many godly women in our church family and in my home church who have taught me directly about Jesus and given me a glimpse of His heart through their words, action, and character.

Never underestimate the kind of impact Jesus can make on the lives of others through your life if you choose to fully surrender it to Him. Prepare to be amazed. Let Him make you a portrait of godliness.

© John Stange, 2021

Becoming highly aware of God's presence

When we look through Scripture, it becomes clear that there are certain expectations God has of His children. He wants us to trust in Him. He wants us to obey Him. He wants us to speak of Him. He wants us to find rest in Him. In general, He wants our faith to blossom from infancy to maturity.

There are multiple marks of spiritual maturity that are useful to observe, but one of the most obvious marks of maturity, at least in my opinion, is the fact that those who grow spiritually mature tend to become highly aware of God's presence. They notice His hand at work all around them. They're continually thinking about the fact that He is with them. They don't treat Him like He's off at a distance.

The unbelieving world has no concept of this worldview. If they're even willing to entertain the thought that God exists, they certainly aren't living like He's near. But for those who understand the gospel and rejoice in the fact that Jesus Christ took on flesh, dwelt among us, and promises to be with us always, we can become highly aware of God's presence and live with the confidence that He's near.

Look with me at how an awareness of God's presence impacted the thinking and the faith of Agur, the writer of Proverbs 30.

I. How conscious are you of God's holiness?

The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.

The man declares, I am weary, O God;
    I am weary, O God, and worn out.
2 Surely I am too stupid to be a man.
    I have not the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
    nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. (Proverbs 30:1-3)

Up to this point in our study of Proverbs, we've been looking at thoughts that were communicated by Solomon, but the end of the book incorporates the words of others as well, including Agur. People speculate who he may have been. Some even suggest that these were also the words of Solomon, but the truth is, none of us knows who Agur was. The little we know about him is included in this chapter of Proverbs.

One thing that can be said of Agur was that he was conscious of God's holiness. He could clearly see a difference in God's abilities and man's abilities. He understood that God is distinct from His creation.

This proverb begins in a very interesting manner. Agur doesn't boast or brag about himself. He doesn't list his credentials or accomplishments. In fact, he practically demeans himself as he takes a close examination of his life, and he contrasts his motives and struggles with God's holiness.

Agur speaks of himself as being weary and worn out. He says he lacks understanding and wisdom, and he seems to be implying that the knowledge He has of God is just a drop in the bucket compared to all there really is to know about God.

I think there's a lot we can learn from Agur's opening statements. While I don't think this Scripture is encouraging us to demean ourselves, I certainly think it's demonstrating the importance of being conscious of God's holiness. The more conscious we are of His holiness, the more visible our inherent sinfulness becomes to us. And as we grow aware of our sinfulness, we begin to see our need for Jesus to bridge the gap between us and the Father. Amazingly, as that gap is bridged by Jesus, He doesn't leave us in our sin. Through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we are made holy as well, and we're transformed into men and women who better reflect the heart of God.

II. Do you appreciate what only God can do?

Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
    Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
    Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son's name?
    Surely you know! (Proverbs 30:4)

When I was in ninth grade, my father and my uncle partnered together to buy a new, larger grocery store. It was much bigger than the stores they owned previously, and it required a lot more manpower to run. Frequently, other family members were recruited to assist, including me and my grandfather.

One Saturday, my grandfather and I were working together to create new, circular display stands to put on the end cap of a dry good aisle. I kept looking at the wood wondering how we were going to make these things perfectly circular. Then I watched my grandfather step into action. He took a thin piece of wood, nailed it into the center of the plywood, then put another nail into the other end of that board, but only had the very tip poke through. Then he swung it around and etched the outline of a perfectly shaped circle into the wood. I was highly amazed and impressed that he knew how to do that.

When I look at this passage of Scripture, I can see that Agur was highly impressed with the work of the Lord. There are things that only God can do, and Agur felt compelled to acknowledge that fact. His words are reminiscent of the words the Lord spoke to Job in Chapter 38 of his book.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
    Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
    Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
    or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together
    and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7)

All this makes me wonder if we truly appreciate the work the Lord is doing. Are we in awe of Him? Do we give Him the credit He deserves? Can we trace His hand at work throughout the course of our lives to lead us in certain ways, open certain doors for us, introduce us to the people we're supposed to meet, and equip us to do things that are far beyond our natural abilities to do?

III. Are you confident that God's word is true?

Every word of God proves true;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Do not add to his words,
    lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6)

As Agur continued to contemplate God's nature and abilities, He expressed His confidence in the word of God. He made the assertion that every word that comes from the mouth of God is eventually proven true. He cautioned us not to add to His words or try to distort what the Lord had communicated. We're called to trust that the revealed word of God is accurate and reliable.

I have to say, one of the best advantages the Lord has given me is the blessing of having grown up in a Bible-teaching church and then attending a university that was likewise faithful to Scripture. The combination of those two factors, plus several others, helped me develop a deep respect for the teaching of Scripture at an early age. I'm grateful that our church gets to be a link in that chain as well as we seek to instill confidence in the teaching of God's word, because His word is true and is abundantly useful to accomplish deep and meaningful things.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

IV. What are you requesting from God?

Two things I ask of you;
    deny them not to me before I die:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
    give me neither poverty nor riches;
    feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
    and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and steal
    and profane the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:7-9)

In Proverbs 30:7-9, Agur openly prays to the Lord. He makes some specific requests, but his requests aren't like the kinds of things most people are requesting of God. Agur makes requests that show that he's thinking on a deeper level, with more maturity than many people express in their times of prayer.

Agur prays that he wouldn't deny the Lord through his words or through his lifestyle. He requests that falsehood be kept from him. He asks the Lord to help him to be content with his needs being met instead of drifting toward poverty or riches. That's a great prayer!

It makes me wonder what we're currently praying for. Are we seeking contentment or greed? Are we seeking God's glory or the absence of discomfort? The truth is, if we have Jesus, we already have what we need most, and Scripture invites us to be content in Him. So, what are you requesting of God?

When you're close to your children, one of the hardest realities to accept is the fact that as they get older, they may go through a season when they don't seem as close to you as they once did, or they may even seem disinterested in a relationship with you in some way. But frequently, as they progress into the next stages of their lives, they often begin to reinvest time in their relationship with you, recognizing the value of a healthy parent/child relationship.

I think our relationship with the Lord sometimes looks that way too. During seasons of less maturity, we pull away, but as we grow, we learn to value His presence and seek to have time with Him.

As those who have been rescued and redeemed by the Son of God, Jesus Christ, let's dedicate our lives to the same motive that dominated Agur's thinking. Let's become highly aware of God's presence and commit ourselves to living in close communion with Him.

© John Stange, 2021

How can you resist living in the fear of man?

Our family has some strange habits that, if I'm honest, I don't really find strange at all. In fact, some of these habits involve behaviors that I heartily recommend to others if they're willing to be a little counter-cultural.

Several of those habits relate to the way we behave in restaurants. Anyone who knows me well knows that, for a season, my father owned a restaurant and a grocery store when I was in high school. I worked at both, and I still have a great appreciation for those who work in the business of selling or preparing food.

When the Lord blessed my wife and me with four children in close proximity to each other, we knew that it might be a challenge to visit restaurants as a family for a few years unless we insisted on some very specific parameters. One rule we insisted on was that they mind their behavior, and I used to tell them, "If our server or someone we don't know in this restaurant comes to our table and compliments your behavior, you'll be getting dessert." More often than not, that's exactly what would happen and we would reward the children with something sweet after the meal.

Another thing we insisted on from a very early age was that they ordered their own food and asked for their own refills. We frequently noticed that many children are quite fearful of speaking with adults. Some struggle to maintain eye contact and hold a conversation with a superior, and we wanted to see if we could teach our children to operate differently from a very early age. Thankfully, it didn't take a long time for them to catch on, and this practice helped them to learn how to speak up for themselves in an appropriate way.

But here's the thing, children aren't the only people who fear interacting with others. Adults fear it too. One of the major struggles that many of us as adults wrestle with is our fear of the opinions and attitudes of other people. In fact, some of us fear our fellow man so much that we idolize humanity. We might even spend the majority of our lives elevating the opinions of others over the decrees of God. I think it's fair to say that's what most people on this planet are presently doing.

So how can we go about our lives without being paralyzed by the fear of man? What principles does Scripture demonstrate for us that can fill our minds with the perspective that helps us defeat an unhealthy fear of others? How can we live out Solomon's teaching that, "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." ? (Proverbs 29:25)

I. Realize there is no such thing as celebrity

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”  So let no one boast in men. (1 Cor. 3:18-21a)

The Apostle Paul was someone who understood what it was like to walk by faith, and he bravely went to many cities and towns during the first century to preach the gospel, disciple new believers, plant churches, and raise up leaders. That wasn't an easy task, and even he admitted that there were times when he struggled with nervousness when he was speaking in front of certain crowds. The people of the city of Corinth were definitely a group that seemed to make Paul a little nervous.

Do you ever feel nervous when you're speaking in front of group? I think most of us do, but here's something that helps me when I'm doing it. Maybe it will help you too. If you want to overcome your nervousness, start measuring the success of your presentation by whether or not you're helping people, instead of whether or not they praise you for how you looked while doing it.

I think one of the reasons Paul had a difficult time speaking to the Corinthians was because they seemed to have a chip on their shoulders. Many of them seemed to think they were better than others, and that attitude was actually causing division within the Corinthian church. So Paul confronted that problem when he wrote to them.

He told those who thought they were wiser than others to humble themselves so that their pride didn't rob them of the opportunity they were being given to learn godly wisdom. Paul contrasted the wisdom of this world with the wisdom of God, and he reminded the church that the wisdom of the world is foolishness and will come to nothing.

But if we persist in idolizing the wisdom of this world, we'll also begin idolizing those who disseminate it. That's how celebrity culture emerges, and that's a big problem right now. People from all age brackets are making ungodly decisions because they first saw that mindset modeled by a celebrity.

The other day, I took my youngest daughter out for a slice of pizza. Right as we pulled up to the pizza place, I got a message letting me know that a well-known "celebrity" had just offered to make two appearances on my podcast. Thankfully, this person shares godly counsel, but my daughter asked me, "Are you going to be nervous about interviewing her?" I replied, "No, I don't think so. I used to get a little nervous when I did these interviews, but in recent months I've come to realize that there's no such thing as a celebrity. People are just people. Some share helpful things, and others just want attention."

How are we carrying ourselves? Are we trying to be celebrities, or do we demonstrate a servant's heart like Jesus? Are we idolizing celebrities, or is Christ the one we trust?

II. Understand who you really answer to

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
    and every tongue shall confess to God.”

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12)

Have you ever attempted to write something, but struggled with "writer's block?" I'm starting to realize there's a good way to overcome writer's block, and for me, the best way to overcome it is a deadline. When I'm accountable to someone, and I'm given a deadline to turn something in, my brain starts to get in gear the closer I get to that date.

It's healthy to live with a sense of accountability. Those who attempt to live their lives without it are setting themselves up for terrible failure and unnecessary regret. Families can help keep each other accountable. Spouses can do so as well. Employers, church leaders, and our brothers and sisters in Christ can all aid in the process, but there is no greater form of accountability than the realization that we're all going to stand before the Lord someday.

Scripture teaches us that the day is coming when we will appear before the judgment seat of God. Every knee will bow and confess that Jesus is Lord, and all of us will give an account of our lives to Him. There's nothing that we'll be able to hold back. It will all be laid bare.

I think that's helpful to understand if we're presently struggling with the "fear of man." If that fear is holding you back from doing what God is calling you to do, it's time to give that fear over to Him and recognize that the Lord is the one we ultimately answer to.

III. Desire integrity more than you desire praise

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)

We can learn a lot from the people who have come before us. The Lord has graciously raised up a whole host of people who have demonstrated what it looks like to live out our faith in this world. He also uses them to demonstrate what it looks like confront others with the truth.

In the early verses of Galatians, Paul confronted the church for drifting from the truth and centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead of emphasizing the grace of God that is shown to us in Jesus Christ, some of the leaders in that church were starting to teach people that salvation could be obtained by strict observance to the regulations of the Old Testament law. Even though the gospel teaches us that salvation is by grace, through faith in Jesus, they were attempting to please those who believed differently by watering down that central truth.

This news reached Paul's ears, so he didn't mince words when he confronted it. He also made a point to express the fact that he valued his service to Christ more than he valued pleasing people. He knew his words were going to irritate the Galatians, but he said them anyway because they were true. Paul desired integrity more than he valued praise. That's a principle we need to understand as well if we're going to resist being governed by the fear of man.

IV. Remind yourself that earthly trouble cannot compete with eternal blessings

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen." (2 Cor. 4:16-18a)

Have you ever received an injury that felt like it took an excessively long time to heal, or contracted an illness that seemed to stretch on forever? Isn't that one of the worst feelings? Some of us have experienced conflict or distance from loved ones that seemed to stretch on for a very long time. When we experience physical, emotional, or relational pain that holds on for a while, it can feel rather easy to lose heart. But the Lord reminds us that we don't need to. There's a better option.

As men and women who have experienced the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be confident that all of our earthly struggles will result in a positive outcome eventually. One of the things they're doing is giving us the opportunity to contrast our earthly lives with the glorious future the Lord holds in store for us. If we will allow our hearts to contemplate the blessings of an eternity with Jesus, our present troubles will begin to feel light and momentary to us. We don't need to keep our eyes focused on the things that are seen. We can keep our hearts aimed toward the abundant, eternal life Christ has secured for us.

I think that perspective is helpful to keep in mind when we're wrestling with the fear of man. At times, there may be difficult consequences that we'll experience when we refuse to submit ourselves to the snares of earthly and ungodly mandates, but God's word reminds us that our earthly troubles cannot compete with eternal blessings.

All that to say, how prepared are you to make a stand in the midst of a fallen world for your faith in Jesus Christ? Does the fear of man keep you from expressing your faith openly? Has the Lord called you to take your life in a healthy and new direction, but the only thing holding you back is the fear of what others might think?

Most people spend the majority of their years living under the fear of man and failing to take action on God's calling for their lives. Don't make that mistake. Submit your heart to Jesus and don't be paralyzed by the values and opinions of this world.

© John Stange, 2021

The benefits of being broken

There's a season of life when we we're more prone to resist counsel than we are to receive it. For many of us, that season tends to be earlier in life, but for some of us, that season has fallen somewhere in-between or even later on.

A life that hardens itself to godly counsel is a life that tends to become needlessly difficult. When pride gets in the way of us heeding an outside perspective, we're setting ourselves up for a considerable amount of pain and brokenness.

But admittedly, there are benefits we can experience from being broken. As our pride is stripped away and our arrogance is shown to be useless, we can develop teachable hearts. And the beauty of the gospel is that Jesus delights to heal broken people. Frequently, He does us the favor of allowing us to experience a season of brokenness to remind us that running from Him produces unwanted pain.

As we prepare to look at portions of Proverbs 29, we're going to be shown some key things that demonstrate how we end up broken, but we're also going to be shown how we can emerge from our brokenness with greater wisdom and poise that demonstrates the presence of Christ in our lives.

I. Here's how you get broken

He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,
    will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
3 He who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
    but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. (Proverbs 29:1-3)

Ignoring verbal help produces physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual pain. We've all done it, and hopefully, we've also bounced back from it, but Solomon shows us that it can persist so long and go so far that it sometimes leaves permanent scars.

The picture that's being painted for us here is a picture of someone who is regularly offered good counsel, but because it doesn't fit with what they want to hear, they reject it. They stiffen their neck against it instead of bowing their head to accept it. Their persistence in this direction will eventually lead to brokenness, and as much as you might want to save them from the consequences of their decisions, you can't always do it.

Frequently, if a person takes a stiff-necked posture toward the help they're being offered, they will also waste the blessings they've been given. Solomon tells us that a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. They waste the blessings they've been given, and they cost those who are attempting to bless them.

This comment reminds me of the parable Jesus told in Luke 15, a parable we often refer to as the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.   And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.   Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. (Luke 15:11-13)

If we don't see the value in the counsel we're being offered, we'll ignore it. If we don't appreciate the price that was paid to bless us, we'll waste the blessings we've been given. That's exactly what the son in Luke 15 did, and I suspect we can all think of times in our life when we've done the exact same thing, or something really close to it.

How often have you stiffened your neck to godly reproof?

How often have you squandered your blessings?

How long did it take for you to come to a place of repentance?

Giving yourself over to the temptations of this world will cost you and those who have invested themselves in you. Giving your mind over to the counsel of this world, and giving your heart over to the values of this world will eventually leave you broken. But will you listen if someone tries to keep you from journeying down that path? Some do. Many don't.

II. An un-snared heart learns to sing

A man who flatters his neighbor
    spreads a net for his feet.
An evil man is ensnared in his transgression,
    but a righteous man sings and rejoices. (Proverbs 29:5-6)

For the past few Springs, I have had a small problem in front of my house. Right by my front door, there's a post that holds up the roof to the front porch, and apparently, that post looks delicious to carpenter bees. Last year, I paid an exterminator to come and take care of the problem, but unfortunately, nothing was solved. So I bought a simple trap with small holes in it that supposedly works to get the attention of carpenter bees and capture them. Guess what? It worked perfectly. As far as I can tell, it trapped every bee and stopped them from damaging my porch.

Trapping household pets has a practical purpose, but being trapped or ensnared isn't an enjoyable experience for us as people. What does it take for something to ensnare us?

Usually a trap or a snare will play off one of our dominant areas of temptation. It will appeal to the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, or the boastful pride of life as the Apostle John mentions in the book of 1 John.

"For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." (1 John 2:16)

I don't want to be trapped or ensnared by worldly things, and I suspect you don't either. Solomon describes men who are trapped by their flattery or trapped by their transgressions in Proverbs 29:5-6, but as followers of Christ, that doesn't need to be us. Becoming ensnared by the things of this world robs us of the opportunity to fully enjoy the blessing of an unencumbered relationship with Christ. It's robs us of the daily experience of walking in the freedom and liberty Jesus has granted us. It also robs us of our motivation to sing with an unburdened heart.

Solomon tells us that a righteous man sings and rejoices. I like picturing that in my mind. It gives me a mental image of someone whose heart is light and cheery. Someone who is fully delighting in the presence of Christ in their life. Someone who isn't weighed down with the constant troubles and panic of this world.

When I was a child, I could always tell if something was bothering my mother based on her singing. She seemed to know the words to every song on the radio and would usually sing without hesitation when we were driving in the car, but then she went through a difficult stretch when her heart was burdened with many things, and the singing stopped. That stood out to me, and I always noticed when she sang and when she didn't.

In my father's grocery store, there was an older man named Dominic who sliced meat in the deli department. As a kid, I enjoyed interacting with him, but my favorite aspect of working with him was the fact that he turned everyone's deli order into a song. We would frequently wait with excitement to see what kind of creative musical interpretation or song parody he would come up with after people placed their orders for meat or cheese.

Which do you want, a heart that's ensnared with the things of this world or an unburdened heart that expresses the joy of Christ through song?

III. Those who appreciate healing seek to promote it

Scoffers set a city aflame,
    but the wise turn away wrath.
If a wise man has an argument with a fool,
    the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.

A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
    but a wise man quietly holds it back. (Proverbs 29:8-9, 11)

I think we can become very useful to the Lord and His mission to rescue lost humanity after we've gone through a season of brokenness. If you've bounced back from brokenness, you've seen both sides of life. You know what it's like to be low, and you know what it's like to be lifted up. You know what led you to the depths of despair, and you know what pulled you out.

The only hope we have in this world is Jesus. He takes the broken and mends us. His Spirit transforms our thinking and grants us the clarity to operate with a new, healthy perspective toward life in this world. As our faith develops and matures, we begin to see that the approach to life that we used to take doesn't work any longer. That old approach was steeped in worldly thinking. Our new approach is seasoned with the flavor of eternal life.

Worldly perspectives divide and tear down. Solomon explains that cities burn because of ungodly perspectives. He also shows us that arguments persist and anger gets vented in heated and unhealthy ways when the values of this world dominate and control our minds. But those who have been down that road and then were healed by Jesus, seek to promote the kind of healing He offers. Frequently, that healing is fostered through words.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "You don't have to attend every argument you're invited to?" I think that's a pretty good summary of what Solomon was attempting to teach in these proverbs. You don't have to argue with a fool. You don't have to take the bait of the scoffer. You don't have to vent every time you're provoked. Rather, you can practice quiet restraint as you yield your spirit to the control of the Holy Spirit. He will guide and direct your response.

This helped me recently. Not long ago, a friend gave my son several large pieces of woodworking equipment. In order to pick them up, we needed to rent a moving truck. I reserved the truck online and declined paying for additional insurance because I didn't need it. When we arrived to pick the truck up, the man running the counter insisted that we pay the fee for additional insurance and he attempted to argue with me about it. I told him we didn't need it, but he wouldn't let us take the truck without it. So, instead of losing my cool, I reasoned with myself that this man was aggressively irrational and I'd be able to clear this up later by calling customer service. I didn't argue with him, I just made a call. The charge was refunded and their main office apologized to me.

In this world, there will be many opportunities for you to be provoked. If you accept the provocation, you'll regret it. If you reject the counsel of those who love you, you'll regret it. But if you've experienced what it's like to be broken by this world, then mended by Jesus, you'll welcome the power of the Holy Spirit to guide your temperament and give you a powerful testimony of Christ-centered faith and wisdom that you can use to be a blessing to a very confused planet.

© John Stange, 2021

What would you say to someone who is preparing to die?

Today, I had the privilege to spend my afternoon with a woman that knows she's about to die. Some people assume that might be the most difficult aspect of my role as a pastor, but it isn't. I consider it a privilege to spend time together with people going through this experience. It's a unique opportunity to have deeper level conversations while attempting to offer encouragement and comfort.

When I arrived at her house, her husband greeted me and brought me inside. I sat down with both of them and we talked about a variety of things including our families and our favorite desserts. Then he said, "I'm going to step out for a little while because I know my wife has a few things she'd like to talk about with you."

When he stepped out, I asked her, "How are you holding up? You seem strong today." She said, "I have good days and bad days. I do feel strong, but when people ask me if cancer hurts, I have to tell them that it definitely does."

She told me that she feels blessed to have lived the life she's lived, but she also feels ready to go. She's grateful for her family and for the experiences the Lord has blessed her with. There are a few things on her list that she would have liked to do, but she also admitted that those experiences weren't possible now. She didn't seem too upset about that though.

But then we got to the crux of the conversation. She wanted some assurance of what to expect next. What would she see when she came face-to-face with the Lord? Would He "walk with her on this last mile of her journey?"

She said, "There's something still troubling me. I keep wondering if there's something the Lord wants me to do that I haven't done yet." When I asked her to clarify what she meant, she confirmed that the thought that she still had unfinished work was robbing her of some peace.

What would you say to someone nearing death if they said that to you?

At the end of our days, and in all the years we're privileged to live, our true hope is the gospel. If our hope is anchored in the work of our hands or our ability to get everything right, we're going to be disappointed and our hearts won't find rest.

My encouragement to her is the same message I regularly preach to myself. Eternal life, and present day peace, isn't tied to the work that I do or don't do. Rather, my mind needs to continually come back to the work Jesus has done on my behalf.

Jesus lived the perfect life that I wasn't capable of living. Jesus died in my place to pay the spiritual consequences for my sin. Jesus rose from the grave to defeat the power of death. And in response, He invites me to trust in Him and find rest in the work He's already accomplished on my behalf. When I learn to trust Him, and rest in the work He's already done, my heart finds peace.

As I shared this, I can tell it made a difference. She said, "It seems to me that instead of worrying about what I may or may not have done, I need to come before the Lord in prayer and thank Him for what He's already done for me. I think this is something I'm going to need to remind myself of regularly in the coming days. This is going to help me find a greater sense of peace."

Where are you trying to find a sense of peace? Is your sense of peace connected to what you're trying to accomplish, or what Christ has already done?

You can learn a lot by talking with someone who is nearing the end of their earthly days. The things that really matter become much clearer, and the conversations pack a lot more meaning.

What else do I need to do?

Simply believe. Trust in Jesus who has already done the work for you.

—

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit," (1 Peter 3:18, ESV)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, CSB)

© John Stange, 2021

Niches for writing

A guest post from Jennifer Harshman of HarshmanServices.com.

Niche definition

In the business sense, a niche is either something a person is best suited for, or a specialized market. In terms that might be a little easier to understand, it’s a small, specific market of people to serve or a specific product/service to offer. Something helpful to keep in mind is that a niche should be based on people (groups), passions, and problems.

Niche research

Several tools exist to help you conduct keyword research to use in selecting a niche. Some of the more well-known tools are WordStream, Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, and SpyFu. Google Keyword Planner is designed to serve people who want to buy Adwords ads that will be placed on other people’s websites. It’s not designed to help publishers (writers) who are creating content. My favorite is the tool put out by Site Build It called Brainstormer. It uses Wordtracker but adds its own elements to create a robust tool that is designed for content creators like you. They have memberships for regular websites and for WordPress sites.

Market validation

When you’re doing your niche research, in addition to using keyword research tools like the Site Build It’s Brainstormer tool, you’ll want to talk with people who are members of the audience you have chosen to serve. Ask about their passions and problems. Think about what product or service might help them. Then start with a minimum viable product (MVP). Test it by offering it to a few people. Get their feedback. Get proof of concept before you decide whether to continue offering it and to put more resources into it. Seeking help with a quick Facebook Ads campaign or Google AdWords campaign can help you test whether a product will perform well and whether you actually know your target audience.

Niche markets

The number of niche markets is massive, especially when you consider all of the micro niches people can create. One way to create a niche is to make a Venn diagram of two or more circles and use the overlap to define your niche. The more circles you use, the more micro that niche is.

Niche ideas

Where can you get niche ideas? First, you brainstorm. I recommend writing by hand for this because people are more creative when writing by hand than when typing. When you brainstorm, you’ll come to a point where it feels like you can’t think of anything else. When that happens, I want you to keep going. More ideas will come. Okay, are you ready?

Start by remembering the list you made of the audiences you are a member of, and use those. Then think about other people you might want to serve. What types of people do you admire? Which groups would you like to meet and serve? Add those to your list. Now add some more. Keep going. You can do it.

Now, on a separate sheet of paper (or, if you’re typing, in a separate Word document), make a list of products or services you might want to offer to any of those people. Products could range from abacuses to Zambonis. Perhaps you want to offer them a particular software as a service or an app, or to handle their bookkeeping or podcast production. You might come up with 42 books you might want to write for them. Regardless of which niche you choose, you’re going to be writing for and to people in that niche.

Finding your niche

Finding your niche can be a challenge, so if it’s difficult for you, please know that it’s okay. You’re not alone. You might be interested in many things and have a wide variety of skills, and it’s hard to choose one to focus on. Or maybe you find that the way it is for most people is the way it is for you, too: choosing just one is scary. We have heard all our lives, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” and “You had better have a backup plan.” Maybe this will help you to feel less anxiety around it all: picking a niche does not have to be for eternity. It’s just for now. You can change it later if you want to.

So how do you find your niche? Finding a niche is a main focus of Seth Godin’s book This Is Marketing. In it, he encourages readers to choose two things they wish to be known for, and make each one an axis on a chart, then take it to “the edges.” In so doing, they’ll carve out their own niche. As Two Ways To Niche explains, there is more than one way to niche. Choose a group of people you’d like to serve (vertical) or a product/service you’d like to offer (horizontal), or both.

Get so specific that you feel like there are only a few people in the world who would want or need what you could offer. For example, I was able to help a coaching client of mine go from saying, “I serve authors” to “I conduct research for authors” to “I provide historical fiction authors with information on the weaponry available in the 1850s in the United States.” She was afraid that no one would want that information, but more than 3,000 authors qualify. A potential client pool of more than 3,000 people is more than enough. Start small. Build. Go from there.

Niche marketing strategy

Specialized social media groups

Facebook and other platforms have a wide variety of groups people can join based on interests, industries, or identity. Many of them do not allow self-promotion, but I haven’t seen one yet that doesn’t allow helpfulness. Participate in the groups that serve your target audience, that relate to your chosen niche. Share helpful resources if allowed—and I’m not talking about your own but things that others have created. You will develop a reputation of being helpful and knowledgeable, and generous, not self-serving. People tend to mistrust those who are self-serving and to trust those who are clearly there to serve others. Sharing resources other people made helps not only the people you’re sharing those pieces with but also the creators as well.

It’s important to follow the rules of any group you join. Read the rules, and then be respectful and helpful, and in most instances, you’ll be fine.

Niche magazines

If there’s a niche market, chances are good that there’s a magazine for it. The inverse is also true. Publishers only produce when there’s a profit to be made, so if there’s a niche magazine for it, then there’s a niche market. If someone else is serving that audience, you can, too.

Niche articles

Whether you’re writing articles for magazines, other people’s blogs or sites, or just on your own blog or website, you’re going to want to write niche articles to serve your audience. A niche article is an article focused on one specific aspect of a group, one specific problem, or a combination—one particular problem that the small group has. These pieces focus on serving your niche, on delivering information they can use to learn new skills, solve their problems, or make decisions or purchases. Once you’ve decided on your niche and have accepted that you’ll be writing articles for that niche, you’ll want to select topics to write about. That will be the topic of next month’s post.

How to find a new pastor for your church

Searching for a new pastor is a challenging task that many churches find intimidating. Some churches have a history of changing pastors or adding new pastors to their staff regularly. Other churches only need to find new pastoral leadership once every few decades (which means it isn’t something they feel well-versed in doing).

In a denominational context, many churches used to be able to rely on their denomination to supply a pastor when they had a need, but that’s not always an option anymore. Frequently, there are more churches seeking pastors than there are pastors who are available to serve.

In my role of leading a mission board, I’m frequently tasked with the need to find pastors for churches. Listed below is the system I’m using. I have found it to be rather helpful, and if your church has particular bylaws or other requirements, this system could also be adapted to accommodate them.

---

Candidate Search Process / Steps to finding a new pastor

1. Take an honest assessment of the church to determine what kind of leadership is needed and begin this search process with a time of prayer to seek the Lord’s guidance and providential help.

2. Write a compelling, but honest ad that can be posted on JobsForPastors.com or a similar ministry job directory. Include salary, housing, and benefit details as well as requirements for potential candidates (see sample below).

3. Create a search committee of approximately 5 or so people to review applicants.

4. Take 4-8 weeks to accept applications, review resumes, review doctrinal statements, and listen to previously recorded messages.

5. Invite top applicants to come and speak. Include time to meet with them conversationally afterward. Stream their message to Facebook so it can be re-watched later.

6. Choose your top 2 or 3 candidates from speakers. Invite them to do the following.

• a. Come and speak for two consecutive weeks.

• b. Participate in an informal Q&A session with the congregation after a worship service.

7. Search committee makes a recommendation to the congregation regarding the candidate they feel strongest about, second strongest, and third strongest.

8. Congregation votes to offer candidate the position.

---

Sample Ad to post on JobsForPastors.com or other ministry job directories

Headline: Bi-vocational pastor needed to revitalize church

Grace Community Church is looking for a bi-vocational pastor to revitalize a church in Philadelphia, PA.

The church has a lot of potential. The property has been cared for even though the congregation has become small. At present, the pulpit is being filled by a faithful member of the church, but the long-term desire of the congregation is to call a full-time pastor who can revitalize this church.

At present, the church averages about 25 people at worship services. Ten years ago, it averaged around 140. Most of the people present in the church remember those days and would like to attempt to get back to becoming a healthy, vibrant church yet again.

The church can offer the pastor that's selected the following compensation:

• Base Salary: $35,000

• Parsonage plus utilities

• Health insurance

• Educational allowance of $1,000 annually

If you have a gift for evangelism, vision, leadership, team-building, and would be interested in becoming part of the Philadelphia, PA community with the goal of making the gospel known, building disciples, and helping to revitalize a struggling church with lots of potential, please take a moment to apply.

As stated above, we are looking for someone who can be bi-vocational. The new pastor will most likely need to have an additional source of outside income during the early years of his service in this church revitalization ministry.

You can read more about our beliefs, practices, and application process by visiting our website.

Basic Job Qualifications: Evangelistic, knowledge of Scripture, gifted leader with strong communication skills. 

---

© John Stange, 2021

What do you do with the power you're given?

I have often heard it said that if you want to know what someone is like, give them power. Most people can't handle it. Some people do terrible things with it. The best leaders demonstrate the servant heart of Jesus, and the worst make decisions for selfish or vindictive reasons with little concern for how the lives of others will be impacted.

At some point in your life, it's very likely you're going to be entrusted with power. It may be on a small scale or on a large scale. When that day comes, what are you going to do with it?

And please keep in mind that for the believer in Christ, you've already been granted spiritual power that you're called to steward for the glory of Christ. Are you utilizing the spiritual power you've been granted to do that, or are you falling into the trap referenced in 2 Timothy 3:5 where it speaks of some people as "having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power."

In Proverbs 28, we're shown several broad categories where power can be utilized and applied. Some make great use of these opportunities and others don't. What will you do with the power you've been given?

I. The power to lead is misused by most

2 When a land transgresses, it has many rulers,
    but with a man of understanding and knowledge,
    its stability will long continue.

12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
    but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.

16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

28 When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,
    but when they perish, the righteous increase. (Proverbs 28:2, 12, 16, 28)

A few months ago, I was talking with a friend who had just started a new job. It hasn't been his favorite job, but he likes it enough. But after a short while serving in his new role, he requested to be transferred to a different location within the company. When asked why, he admitted that it was a torture to him to have to work under his present supervisor. His supervisor was arrogant, demeaning, and discouraging. My friend said that the thought of having to deal with such demoralizing leadership for months or even years was enough to make him sick to his stomach. Thankfully, his company granted his transfer.

Good leadership can be challenging to find. Solomon knew that when he voiced the words of these proverbs, and he illustrated in great detail the ways in which ungodly leadership has a negative impact on everyone that has to live under it. When the power to lead is misused, it can destroy a culture, cause people to withdraw, foster various forms of oppression, and discourage participation.

That's why I think it's critical for believers to look to the example of Christ if they're ever placed in a role of leadership. A real leaders isn't a boss. Christ-centered leaders view their role through the lens of servanthood. Leaders who model Christ's heart see leading as a willingness to serve or suffer in order to make the lives of others better.

"But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant," (Matthew 20:25-26)

II. The power to obey is utilized by the faithful

The wicked flee when no one pursues,
    but the righteous are bold as a lion.

4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
    but those who keep the law strive against them.

18 Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered,
    but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.

20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. (Proverbs 28:1, 4, 18, 20)

Do you have a hidden life, or is your life an open book? Is there any part of your life that you wouldn't feel comfortable letting others know about? Are you transparent with your spouse, children, and friends? Is there any aspect of your life that you're trying to hide from the Lord?

Integrity and faithfulness are traits modeled by the Lord that he desires to see displayed in His people. He indwells us with His Spirit toward this end. But those who reject the Lord's presence take their lives in a much different direction. Solomon describes that direction for us.

When a person forsakes obedience to the Lord and tries to hide from Him, they'll flee when they aren't being pursued, they'll forsake the law, they'll fall in ways they don't see coming, and they'll experience the consequences of their rebellion. That's such a terrible outcome that it's hard to understand why anyone desires it, but the truth is, most people think those consequences only apply to other people. The deceptiveness of wickedness makes us believe that somehow we'll be the one exception.

Through faith in Christ, by the power of the Spirit, our desires and aspirations drastically change. It may be the case that in the past we delighted in rebelling and hiding from the Lord, but the Spirit opens our eyes to see a better way. He gives us the power to obey, and in that obedience, we experience blessing and an undisturbed conscience.

III. The power to help is a tool in the Lord's hands

22 A stingy man hastens after wealth
    and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
23 Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
    than he who flatters with his tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother
    and says, “That is no transgression,”
    is a companion to a man who destroys.
25 A greedy man stirs up strife,
    but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched. (Proverbs 28:22-25)

I have heard this a few times before, and I read it again earlier this week, but some years ago, two engineers calibrated in a wind tunnel why geese fly in formation. Each goose, flapping its wings, creates an uplift for the goose that follows. The whole flock gains 71% greater flying range than if they journeyed alone. That’s why the leader of the V formation falls back periodically to let another leader take the point, and why the rest stay in line. -Source: Bible.org

Everyone goes further and does better when they have the help of someone else. Geese fly more efficiently and people live more fruitfully when they lift each other up. We will never grow to the level the Lord has called us to grow to without the help of the people He has strategically surrounded us with. He gives us the power to help one another, and uses the help we offer as a tool in His hands to build His church.

In general, Solomon gives us a few examples of what it looks like to commit to help one another, but he also shows us what it's like when someone withholds the blessings that were within their power to give. Those who are stingy or rob others will eventually experience material, relational, and spiritual poverty. But those who demonstrate their trust in the Lord by sharing the blessings He bestows, are themselves frequently enriched with even more to share materially, relationally, and spiritually.

Do you see yourself as a tool in the Lord's hands to lift up someone else?

IV. The power to trust leads to everlasting hope

25 A greedy man stirs up strife,
    but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.
26 Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. (Proverbs 28:25-26)

There's a big lesson the Lord wants us to get out of life. He wants us to learn to trust Him. I believe the other lessons He's teaching us are important too, but they all seem to fall under that umbrella.

The temptation of this age is to trust in ourselves. We live an era of rampant humanism. We idolize what we think we know, and struggle to acknowledge the limits of human reason. I find it comical that we don't even know what's on the bottom of the ocean floor, yet we claim to understand the formation of the universe from a completely humanistic perspective, as if it came into being apart from the creative intervention of God.

Genuine trust in Christ leads to everlasting hope. Solomon tells us that,"Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool," and, "the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched." We can either idolize ourselves and come to ruin, or we can trust Jesus who is the source of divine wisdom and power. The greater wisdom is found through trusting Christ. The greater power is found through trusting Christ, and His calling on our lives is that we would put that power to work.

In a seminary missions class, Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push.

After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.

Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, “Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable.” He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson’s astonishment, the engine roared to life.

For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work.

J. B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians l:19-20, “How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God.” When we make firm our connection with God, his life and power flow through us. -Ernest B. Beevers, found on Bible.org

What do you do with the power you're given? Use it to lead, obey, help, and trust. Glorify Christ with your stewardship of the power He entrusts to you.

© John Stange, 2021

How to discover your audience and purpose for writing

A guest post in our “Christian Authorship Series” by Jennifer Harshman from HarshmanServices.com

Your Audience and Purpose

Your audience and purpose dictate what you’ll write, where, and in which format you’ll create that writing. They can also even dictate when you write, how many words you put into any given piece, and whether you include images or other media. If it seems like your audience and purpose have a lot of control over what you create, that’s because they do, and there’s good reason for that.

In a previous post, we explored why Christians should be writing. Here, we’re going to talk about your audience and purpose for writing. 

Target audience

Target audience is a term that means the people for whom a creation is intended, whether that creation is a song, movie, painting, or piece of writing. Which people do you want to have reading your writing? Is it parents, the unchurched, Millennials? Each of those is an example of a target audience.

Identifying your audience

Identifying your audience can be challenging, but there are ways to make it easier. 

First, keep in mind that this is a Type 2 decision, which means one that can be easily changed. The Type 1 and Type 2 decision concept was made popular by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, and they are discussed in The Bezos Letters, one of the books I edited. 

Next, consider the groups of people or types of people you’d like to help. This will aid you in identifying your audience. Below are some questions that will help you narrow it down because even though you might want to help everyone, your audience can’t be “everyone.” There’s a saying you might like to keep in mind: “If your audience is everyone, then your audience is no one.” It’s perfectly fine to select just a sliver of people to serve. In fact, that could be the wisest choice.

Audience analysis questions

Here are some things to ask yourself as you determine who your target audience is. Whether you prefer to write or record audio, capture your answers to these audience analysis questions. You’ll want to make use of your answers now and refer to them later as needed. You might want to change directions at some point, and the answers to these questions can help you to quickly identify another target audience to serve. 

Which groups have you been a member of? 

• Christians

• Parents

• Your level of education, your alma mater

• Your generation

• Sports fans

• Survivors of a specific tragedy (911 First Responder, victims of domestic violence)

• Pet owners

• Fans of Silly Songs with Larry

Defining Your Purpose

• What groups of people are near and dear to your heart?

• What angers you?

• What breaks your heart?

• What do you think everyone should be/do/have?

• If you could say only one sentence, as Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy does (I am Groot), and that’s all you could say to your audience, what would that one sentence be? I have my clients and students do this exercise to help them pick a focus, a starting point. No one is going to limit you to that one sentence, of course. But having it is like having a lens to focus diffuse sunlight into a laserlike beam. Here are some examples to get you started:
  

• God loves you, looks out for you, and if you’re willing, He will help you through this.

• With the right resources and attitudes, you can do amazing things.

• Do, or do not. There is no try. —Yoda

Niching down

There is more than one way to niche, as we’ll talk about in a post titled Niches for Writing. For now, just be sure you select a small group as your target audience, and think of one or two specific things you’d like to help them with via your writing. If you said “parents” earlier, you might want to narrow it down to just fathers. Is it fathers of daughters only like my friend Greg Gerber, or single dads of preschoolers?

Attract target audience

Your goal is to find your target audience wherever they are, and then to attract them to the piece(s) you wrote for them. You might find your audience on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Clubhouse, or other social media platforms. After interacting with them long enough to build trust and learn about them, you will find natural opportunities to answer their questions.

You also might attract readers to your own online properties such as your blog or niche websites by writing specific pieces that answer a question, teach them something they want or need to know, or provide resources they might want to use. Once you have attracted your target audience, serve them with an audience-centered approach.

What an audience-centered approach means

An audience-centered approach means that what you create is designed to serve your audience rather than fulfilling your own needs or desires. Does that mean you never get to write the things you’ve dreamed of? Of course not. Does it mean that your needs, such as for income, can never be met? No. It just means that you think of your audience’s desires and needs first and foremost, and you use your creativity and other skills to deliver what that audience wants and needs. If you serve your audience well—and consistently over time—eventually, good things will come to you, too.

If you have not thoroughly considered who your audience is or what they need, you might be making some of these common mistakes:

• providing excessive or insufficient background information

• providing too much or not enough detail

• using the wrong language or unfamiliar terminology

• misjudging the audience’s level of interest in or understanding of the topic at hand

Wrong target audience

Reaching the wrong target audience can cost you in a few ways. Not only will you be wasting your effort and irreplaceable time, you could also be throwing away your marketing budget by putting ads in front of the wrong people. These are not terrible, and this is not a permanent problem, fortunately. As soon as you identify the issue, you can make the shift that’s needed and begin serving the right audience for you.

Purpose

Consider your purpose for writing before you write the first word. Thinking about the purpose is part of your planning procedure. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help determine your purpose for writing any given work.

Why are you writing this particular piece? 

Which format would work best? 

Why will your audience read your document? 

What do they want or need to get from it?

What do you want them to know, believe, or be able to do when they’re finished reading it?

Serve your target audience

The important thing is to serve your target audience. Solve their problems by doing the things you are excellent at doing. Give them the best you have. Remember, if you do this, and keep doing it, you will benefit, too. In next month’s post, I’ll talk about two ways to narrow down whom you serve and what you offer, and explain why the riches are in the niches in Niches for Writing.

Four ways to stay sharp while sharpening others

One of the things that has become very clear to me over the course of my life is that the quality of my life is directly impacted by those I choose to surround myself with. There are people in my life that have sharpened me in very helpful ways, but there are others who seem to have a dulling effect on my life. The more I surround myself with them, the duller I feel. There are people in my life that have also had a distinctly depressive effect on me at times when I let them.

At this season of my life, one of my goals is to continue to surround myself with people who sharpen me spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. I want to make intentional investments in each of these areas, but I want the investment to be mutual. As others sharpen me, I want to reciprocate that blessing by helping to sharpen them.

Proverbs 27 is a helpful chapter of Scripture for many reasons including the fact that it demonstrates at least four ways we can stay sharp while simultaneously sharpening others.

I. Boast about God's sovereignty and providence

Do not boast about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
    a stranger, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:1-2)

The older I get, the less likely I am to take the liberty to make definitive predictions about the future. I certainly would never have predicted what has taken place in the past year. It didn't look anything like I expected it to. And looking forward, I have no idea what the next year is going to look like either. Even the things I consider mundane or inconsequential may look much different, or maybe they won't happen at all, so why boast about what I can't predict?

Solomon teaches us not to be the kind of people who are boastful. We shouldn't boast about tomorrow because we don't know what tomorrow may bring. We shouldn't boast about ourselves either because that demonstrates unhealthy pride and conceit that doesn't reflect the heart of Christ.

But if we're going to boast about something, let's boast about something that matters. I'm choosing not to boast about tomorrow because I have no control over tomorrow. But since I know the One who is sovereign over all tomorrows, I'm going to boast about Him. I'm going to tell others that our Lord has His hand on human history and He's providentially working all things together for the good of those who know and love Him. He's steering human history toward the day when we will all bow our knees and confess with our mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord.

II. Welcome the feedback of those who love you on your worst days

Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
    profuse are the kisses of an enemy. (Proverbs 27:5-6)

Growing up, one of my favorite hobbies was to write. Sometimes I'd write articles or book-worthy content, but most of the time I would write song lyrics. And even though I enjoyed sharing that content with others, I grew a little hesitant to do so because I wasn't always comfortable with the feedback I received.

Feedback or critique is something we all need, but I don't think it's automatically easy to hear. It can be especially difficult to listen to when you're regularly on the receiving end of unhelpful criticism. That's why it's valuable to evaluate the feedback you're receiving while paying close attention to the sources. It's a far different subject to receive critique from those who love you on your worst days than it is to receive unfair criticism from those who despise you on your best days.

Solomon teaches us that the verbal wounds of a friend can be trusted, even though they may initially sting. Their words are meant to sharpen us and build us up in our walk with Christ. The input we receive from other believers is a gift that the Holy Spirit uses to help us grow in sanctification. Stay open to how He's using the words of those who love you to help you grow.

Not long ago, a good friend made a terrible decision that became known to a few of us who are close to him. When he was approached about it, he didn't receive the news well. In fact, his response was to say, "You're not allowed to talk to me about things like that." Ironically, it was the thing he most needed someone to talk to him about, but he resisted outside counsel.

How often does our relationship with the Lord take on the same exact flavor as that conversation? How many times in your life has the Lord attempted to speak to you about something and you told Him, "You're not allowed to talk to me about things like that."

III. Model the loyalty of Jesus

Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend,
    and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is near
    than a brother who is far away. (Proverbs 27:10)

It's no accident that you know the people you know. The relationships the Lord has blessed you with are intentional. And when your seasons of trial and testing come, you'll feel far less anxious if you reach out to those you trust and allow them to help you shoulder the burden. That's something the Lord has been making clear to me during this season of life.

It also becomes clear, over time, that there are certain people who will only be part of your life for a short season. I've heard it said that we have life-long friends, but we also have 5-minute friends. Based on what Solomon teaches in this passage, I think it would be wise for us to try not to be in the 5-minute friend category.

Solomon teaches us not to forsake our friends or the friends of our family. In this passage, he expresses the value of loyalty and faithfulness. These are traits that are best modeled by our Lord, and should also be visibly practiced in our lives as we follow Him.

I'm grateful for the loyalty of Jesus Christ in my life. I'm grateful that He's not only my Lord, but also my friend. And even though the majority of relationships I have experienced in this world have been somewhat conditional in nature, His friendship isn't like that at all. He sees me at my best and at my worst, and isn't ashamed to call me His brother and His friend.

"For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers," (Hebrews 2:11)

Who are you blessing with the gift of Christ-centered loyalty? Who is convinced that you'll still call them your brother or your sister, even on their worst days?

As Jesus gave me the gift of His loyalty, I had the privilege to share that gift with a friend earlier this week. In a few months, I have a book coming out and the publisher asked me to reach out to other authors to endorse it. One of the endorsers, who is also a friend, came back to me after submitting her endorsement and admitted that she was worried her endorsement might reflect poorly on me because she's only been a Christian for a few years. She felt genuinely concerned that the life she led before coming to know Christ might hurt my reputation in some way, and through the grace of Jesus I was able to say, "I literally don't care about any of that. Jesus isn't ashamed to be my friend or your friend. And I will never be ashamed to be your friend either."

IV. Make generous investments in the lives of others

Iron sharpens iron,
    and one man sharpens another.
Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and he who guards his master will be honored. (Proverbs 27:17-18)

Just yesterday, my wife sewed a pair of pants for me. In her hand was one of the standard pin cushions that looks like a tomato with a strawberry hanging off of it. I asked her what the point of the strawberry-shaped cushion was and she said, "That cushion sharpens and cleans your pins. If they're dull or dirty, you poke them into the strawberry a few times to make them useful again."

All kinds of tools need to be sharpened after regular use. Sometimes you use a stone to accomplish that task. In the case of iron, it can be sharpened by using another piece of iron. People operate the same way. We have the opportunity to sharpen one another. We have the privilege of making generous investments in one another's lives.

You are the person you are, and I am the person I am largely due to the generosity of someone else. It starts with the fact that Jesus generously gave Himself for me. It continues with the fact that the Holy Spirit lives within me and He is transforming the way I think and live. It continues even further with the fact that other followers of Christ who have the Holy Spirit living within them have taken an interest in my life and continue helping to refine me.

Wrapping up...

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

The time we invest becoming spiritually, emotionally, and relationally sharp has great value, not only for ourselves, but for the people the Lord gives us the privilege to help sharpen as well.

© John Stange, 2021

The folly you embrace can become the legacy you leave

Several years ago, I was watching a series of presidential documentaries. I tend to find biographical documentaries rather interesting. I like to learn about the early influences that have impacted people of prominence or historical significance, and something rather interesting caught my attention when the documentary began to focus on the childhood of President Ronald Reagan that I believe had an impact on the way he carried himself while in office.

No president is universally loved during their term in office, but some would argue that Reagan came closer to that than most presidents do. But behind his genial nature and affability was a man who had experienced some painful embarrassments in his youth, largely at the hands of his father.

Reagan's father was a man who seemed to lack direction. I don't know what internal struggles he was wrestling with, but unfortunately, he attempted to dampen his personal pain with getting drunk regularly. His uncontrolled addiction cost his family in many ways. They struggled financially, relationally, and emotionally because of his decisions. Reagan loved his dad, but he spent plenty of time trying to save his father from experiencing the embarrassment of the consequences of his actions.

One example from the documentary that stood out to me was the afternoon when Reagan came home only to find his father passed out drunk on their front porch. To avoid the embarrassment of people seeing his dad in this kind of condition, Reagan dragged his father inside the house until he finished sleeping off his drunkenness.

Sadly, that's the most prominent thing I can tell you about Reagan's dad. That's the kind of legacy he left in the minds of many historians. He's basically seen as a man who gave in to folly and vice while grieving his family who loved him in spite of those actions.

In a similar way, Proverbs 26 shows us that the folly we embrace can very easily become the legacy we leave.

I. There are some people who just won't learn. Try not to be one of them.

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.
Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
    a curse that is causeless does not alight.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the back of fools. (Proverbs 26:1-3)

When it comes to obtaining wisdom, there are a few ways you can do it. You can read what the Lord has revealed in His word, believe what He says, and apply His truth to your life. You can seek the counsel of wise people and learn from their example and teaching. Or, you can make costly mistakes and learn the hard way through the pain that will most certainly come from ignoring the word of God and the counsel of the wise people He places in your life.

Most of us can think of wise lessons we've learned through each of those options, but when we look at the words Solomon shares in the opening verses of Proverbs 26, we can see that there are those who willfully reject every opportunity to obtain wisdom that's offered to them. Solomon tells us that honor is not fitting for them.

He also tells us that painful consequences are the guaranteed result of rejecting the wisdom of God. A godless man who embraces the foolish thinking of this world will end up being treated, in some respects, like an animal that can't be reasoned with. Horses are whipped into shape because their simple minds don't excel at reasoning. Foolish people are pretty similar and are likely to experience forms of chastisement or correction that demonstrate that they can't be reasoned with.

I recently heard of a man who became a great success later in life, but during the early years of his adulthood, his mother tried to persuade his fiancée not to marry him. She said, "He won't stick with anything and it's a guarantee you'll be poor if you marry him." When the man heard his mother say that, he went to a specialist who ran him through a battery of tests and determined that he had terrible people skills. The specialist also recommended that he avoid people and find a profession that didn't require him to interact with others.

This man could have followed that path, but he decided to do something better. He realized how foolish he had been up to that point and started taking courses and reading books on how to interact with others. He devoted himself to it and made a life-long practice of it. Eventually, he became the co-founder of the Sheraton hotel chain. (source: “Read to Lead” podcast. 2-23-21)

There are people who receive feedback, and others who just won't learn. Try not to be one of the latter.

II. Be careful not to waste all your words, but be willing to waste a few.

Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5)

Have you ever tried to teach something to someone else? When does it feel easy to teach another person? What can make it rather difficult?

In these verses, Solomon paints a picture for us of a wise person attempting to share wisdom with someone steeped in foolishness. Unfortunately, there are many times when that activity feels fruitless. It's especially fruitless when we try to engage in foolish debates on terms that have been set by those who embrace their folly. If we accept those terms and answer him in a way that's consistent with his folly, we'll end up sounding just like him.

Have you ever attempted to share wisdom with someone and then later regretted it because you realized they had no intention of receiving your counsel? I distinctly remember a conversation I had with a friend several years ago who was in the process of destroying his relationships with everyone who loved him. Eventually, I had to take a break from talking to him because every word I shared felt like it was wasted. He rejected my counsel. He rejected the counsel of others as well, and he persisted in hurting those closest to him in ways that absolutely could have been prevented.

But even though our words of counsel may fall on ears that are unwilling to hear, it's still worth the risk of wasting a few. Solomon tells us that there is a time to give a fool an answer, and I think the Lord can give us the wisdom we need to know when it's worth speaking and when it isn't.

III. The destructive patterns of folly can be hard to escape.

Like a dog that returns to his vomit
    is a fool who repeats his folly. (Proverbs 26:11)

Biblically speaking, when we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we are no longer fools. True foolishness is godlessness. Ultimate foolishness is to reject the salvation offered to us by Christ. It's foolish to try to do for ourselves what has already been done for us. We couldn't save ourselves, so Christ accomplished all that was needed for us to experience new life and spiritual freedom.

And being that He paid such a steep price for our freedom, we're encouraged not to return to the life we once embraced. But let's be honest. The destructive patterns of folly can be hard to escape, especially if we've developed a dependence on the foolish things of this world to soothe our emotional pain. In that case, it can become quite easy to keep running back to our old ways because we're still convinced they can bring us peace and healing.

Solomon describes that common pattern in vivid language to help drive his point home. When we return to the folly Christ has freed us from, we're acting no better than a dog that goes back to lick up it's own vomit. And if that mental picture disgusts you, try applying it to any area where you may be giving up your spiritual freedom in order to embrace slavery to sin and worldliness. The destructive patterns of folly may be hard to escape, but Christ has made the way of escape possible through Him.

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Cor. 10:13)

IV. Acknowledge the source of true wisdom.

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for him. (Proverbs 26:12)

Wisdom is worth praying for. Wisdom is worth seeking and obtaining. But one of the major roadblocks that will get in the way of us obtaining wisdom is ourselves. We are our own roadblock, particularly if we're already wise in our own eyes. That mindset results in us thinking we don't need outside counsel and it hinders our growth.

If we're honest, how many times during the course of our lives have we attempted to do more talking than listening? How many conversations have you been part of where you simply waited until someone else was done talking so you could get your words in, instead of listening to what they had to share? In a very real way, this is a form of self-idolatry that Solomon is cautioning us against. He tells us that there is more hope for a fool than for a man who idolizes his own wisdom or becomes wise in his own eyes.

For us to obtain the wisdom we need, we must acknowledge that Jesus is the source of true wisdom.

"But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." (1 Cor. 1:24-25, NLT)

Wrapping Up...

Do you give much thought to the kind of legacy you'll be leaving for those who come after you? The older I get, the more this thought occupies my mind. I don't want to leave a legacy of foolishness. I want to leave a legacy of faith, but the legacy I leave and the legacy you leave will be determined by what we choose to embrace today.

What are you holding on to? What have you chosen to embrace? Are your arms wrapped around the follies of this world, or will you embrace Jesus Christ who is the power and the wisdom of God personified?

© John Stange, 2021

Viewing yourself and others through the lens of Christ's mercy

One of the fastest ways to become disappointed in life is to begin dwelling on all the good things you think you deserve that you haven't yet received. It's very possible that you believe you deserve a raise at work, a word of praise, to be married if you aren't or to have a better marriage if you are, for your kids to shine like angels, for your bank account to be filled to overflowing, and the check engine light to never come on in your car. But none of these things have been promised to us.

I believe that when we look at what Scripture teaches us, we're shown that when we have Jesus, we truly do have what we need most in this world. We need Him more than we need perfect earthy circumstances. We need Him more than we need the treasures of this earth. We need His mercy more than we need the momentary approval of our peers.

So we can go through life disappointed that we didn't get some of the things that we thought we deserved, or we can be grateful for the mercy of Christ which is a blessing He offers to us that we definitely didn't deserve. And if we can learn to become grateful for Christ's mercy, we'll start to view ourselves and others through that lens. As recipients of mercy, we show mercy. As those who didn't receive the condemnation we deserved, we can also choose not to condemn others but rather bless them in Jesus' name.

In Proverbs 25, I see at least three ways we can live this out. In view of the mercy of Christ, we can honor those who lead us, humble ourselves, and bless our enemies. Each action requires an application of Christ-centered mercy.

I. Honor your leaders

Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
    or stand in the place of the great,
for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
    than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
    and a soft tongue will break a bone. (Proverbs 25:6-7, 15)

Years ago I heard a description of what the daily responsibilities of the President of the United States included. During the 1800's, people would regularly line up outside his office waiting for an audience with him in order to seek his appointment to various leadership positions. It was an exhausting process and not a great way to keep a daily schedule. I suspect Solomon experienced similar things during the days when he was king of Israel.

There's a right way and a wrong way to present yourself to a king or a leader. The wrong way is to puff yourself up and assume you have a standing before them. The right way is to view yourself with sober judgment while doing your best to honor those who lead you.

If we're honest, I think we need to admit that at times, we prefer to be honored instead of honoring someone else. We covet the honor that belongs to leaders. We covet the praise that they deserve. This happens on the human level and on the spiritual level. How often in our lives do we attempt to take credit for something God actually did for us? I think we do that because we want the praise that rightfully belongs to Him.

When we begin to view our leaders and ourselves through the lens of Christ's mercy, we can learn not to covet someone else's honor. It's far better to be lifted up by those you respect than to puff yourself up in their presence in a vain attempt to impress them.

Solomon also speaks of patience and soft speech being effective ways to interact with the leaders we're seeking to honor. Merciful speech can persuade the most powerful people, and leaders tend to notice those who communicate in such a way. Those who are in leadership are under constant critique. Sometimes, the most minuscule and minor details of their lives are being picked apart. If your words to them are saturated with the mercy of Christ, you'll be like a healing balm to their spirit.

In view of the mercy of Christ, make yourself helpful instead of merely making yourself visible when you have an audience with someone you admire or respect.

II. Humble yourself

If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,
    lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house,
    lest he have his fill of you and hate you. (Proverbs 25:16-17)

For several weeks, ever since I found out that my friend Sarah Graham was starting a food business selling both sweet and savory snacks, I have been bugging her (literally) to make me some sesame beef jerky. It's been an ongoing request that several other people started joining me on. This week, she surprised us by bringing a tray of it to share with our mid-week Bible study. We attacked that tray like the carnivores we are, but I noticed something interesting at the very end of the night. We all loved the beef jerky she made, but there was one piece left and no one wanted to be the one to take it even though we were all eyeing it up. In a special way that might have been easy to overlook, I realized that was a demonstration of humility on the part of the group. We were putting one another above ourselves.

Solomon gives a similar example when he speaks of honey. His counsel was to avoid being gluttonous when you find it. Eat only enough for yourself and don't eat beyond that. Leave the next portion for someone else. Don't make yourself sick through overconsumption because that's a visible demonstration of a self-centered mindset and a lack of humility.

I think he also demonstrates the importance of humility when it comes to the respect we show for another person's time. Solomon tells us to avoid constantly lingering at your neighbor's house or he's going to get sick of you.

When I was a kid, my grandmother's sister lived with her. In the summer, we would spend a lot of time sitting on their front porch during the evenings. Their block consisted of dozens of row homes, and one of their neighbors used to wait for them to be out so she could come down and talk. That was all fine, but she never seemed to know when to leave, so eventually either my aunt or my grandmother would walk inside the house and call out to the other by saying something like, "The baby is crying, can you help?" I always got a kick out of seeing what kind of excuse they would eventually come up with in order to end the conversation.

Failing to respect the time or boundaries of another person is an issue of humility that's worth wrestling with. We're called to put others before ourselves, not approach life like we're the most important person in the neighborhood.

Biblical humility doesn't mean you think poorly of yourself. It means you begin to see yourself exactly as you are in light of who God is. It involves a recognition of the mercy you've been shown by Jesus when He chose to serve you and lift you up at His expense.

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 2:3-5)

III. Bless your enemies

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
    and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
for you will heap burning coals on his head,
    and the Lord will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22)

"Enemy" is a word we toss around in the context of the way nations relate to one another, the way rivalries develop between sports teams, and the way we think of those who create conflict for us. But do we have real human enemies, or is that more likely a matter of perception than reality?

I used to think of certain people in this world as my enemies, but I don't any longer. There have also been people at different seasons of my life that have probably thought of me as their enemy as well. But even if they choose to see me that way, I don't have to reciprocate that attitude. I do have enemies, but they aren't other human beings. My enemies are spiritual. Ephesians 6:12 tells me that my real battle isn't against "flesh and blood." It's against the devil and the demons who align with him.

So since I don't have human enemies, I don't have to treat anyone like my enemy any longer. Solomon speaks of that in this proverb, and Jesus speaks of that in His Sermon on the Mount.

According to Solomon, it's wise to give our "enemies" food and drink when they need them. In doing so, we may have a helpful impact on their conscience. We will also be rewarded in some way by the Lord who sees our demonstration of Christ-honoring mercy toward others.

Jesus Himself told us to love our enemies and pray for them. I've learned that it becomes pretty difficult to hate someone or consider them your enemy after you've made them the subject of your prayers. Jesus said it like this...

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:43-45a)

Jesus also powerfully demonstrated what it means to pray for those who persecute you when He demonstrated compassion and forgiveness toward those who were crucifying Him.

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Wrapping Up...

When we learn to view ourselves and others through the lens of Christ's mercy, the nature of every earthly relationship we'll ever have begins to change. We'll treat ourselves differently. We'll treat those who lead us differently. We'll treat those who have set themselves against us differently.

What a blessing it is to be an object of the mercy of God through the work Jesus has done on our behalf. We didn't deserve this blessing, but we can live as people who are grateful recipients of it.

© John Stange, 2021

Who is worthy of your admiration?

What would you do if you were given the opportunity to have a conversation with the people you have looked up to at different seasons of your life?  What would you say to them?  What ideas, opinions, or advice would you ask them to share with you?  Do you think you’d feel nervous talking to them?

Many of you know that I used to be a radio announcer for WRGN, a Christian radio station in northeast Pennsylvania.  While I was working at the station, I used to have the opportunity to host in-studio and on-air interviews regularly.  It’s been a while since I worked there, but in this season of my life, I have become heavily involved with podcasting which is like hosting your own radio show that people can access on demand from their smartphone or computer.

In the years since I started recording my shows, they have grown from tens, to hundreds, to thousands, to millions of downloads.  It’s hard for me to fathom this because I know how simple my production setup is.  I have a good microphone, a laptop computer, and a quiet office in my basement.  That’s it.  

Now that the audience for my shows has grown, I have been presented with a new opportunity.  Well-known people have expressed interest in being interviewed, which puts me in a unique position.  I now have the opportunity to speak directly to some of the people who I have either admired from afar, or who have had a measurable influence in my life.  Later this week, I’ll be speaking with the lead singer of a band I have been listening to for over 30 years.  I’ve also been speaking with notable authors and athletes.  It’s hard to wrap my mind around it because I have been looking up to many of these people for quite some time.

So, if you were presented with a similar opportunity, who would you want to talk to?  Who do you personally look up to?  Who is worthy of your admiration? Proverbs 24 does a great job of helping us see that we need to be cautious about who we admire.

I. We all have people we admire

In Proverbs 24, Solomon speaks about the people we’re all tempted to admire and envy.  He gives us examples of wise men and evil men, and I’m certain we can all think of personal examples in our own lives that fall into one of those two categories.

During the course of your life, who have you admired?  Some of the people on my list include; family, friends, pastors, authors, musicians, athletes, historical leaders, and many of the men and women whose stories are referenced in Scripture. Some of the biblical examples I have looked up to include Joseph, Daniel, Paul and Priscilla.  

I love watching the hand of God at work in Joseph’s life, and Joseph’s willingness to walk through the doors the Lord was opening up for him.  When I read about Daniel’s life, I see a man who possessed great integrity even though he lived in a land that tried its hardest to steer him away from following the Lord.  When I read about Paul’s life, I see someone who was willing to be the pioneer who took the arrows and made the sacrifices necessary in order to lay a strong foundation for those who came after him.  In Priscilla, I see a woman who was willing to walk by faith and invest her knowledge of the Scriptures in up-and-coming church leaders.

I don’t think it’s wrong to admire others, just as long as we’re careful about who we’re admiring while remaining cautious not to idolize the examples we gravitate toward.  To help us not to idolize some of the people mentioned in Scripture, the Lord made a point to show us many of their struggles and failings.  I believe His aim in doing that was to make it clear that there was only one perfect man, the God-man, Jesus Christ.

A wise man is full of strength,
 and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
 and in abundance of counselors there is victory. (Proverbs 24:5-6)

I wonder who Solomon admired?  I’m sure he admired his father David.  He probably also admired other people in his kingdom as well, and among them, it’s clear that Solomon respected those who carried themselves with wisdom.  These were people who understood that the essence of wisdom is to correctly apply biblical counsel to the experiences in their life.

Solomon tells us that a wise man is full of strength.  He tells us that the might of a man of knowledge grows.  He makes it clear that when we surround ourselves with godly counselors, we will experience victory.  

We all have people we admire, but isn’t it best to admire those who steer us toward the Lord instead of away from Him?  Those who model their faith through how they choose to live?

II. You will model your life after the influences you admire

Be not envious of evil men,
 nor desire to be with them,

for their hearts devise violence,
 and their lips talk of trouble. (Proverbs 24:1-2)

The opening verses of Proverbs 24 give us a stern word of caution.  Solomon encourages us not to envy those who are known for practicing evil.  He also cautions us about spending our time surrounded by them.  Why do you suppose he gives the reader these cautions?

We’re all looking for examples.  We all want someone to show us how to do what we’re looking to do.  Being shown how to do something is one of the fastest ways to learn something new.  

I was trying to learn a new piece of software for my computer last week, and instead of trying to figure it all out on my own, I watched a 25 minute video that demonstrated all the features to me.  It was a short-cut that helped me immensely.

In a related way, the people we’re observing are modeling the short-cut to their way of life.  If you want to take the short-cut to a godless life, then let your heart envy those who are consumed with evil.  But if you can see evil for the destructive force it really is, let the Holy Spirit direct the affections of your heart because He will point you to Jesus.

Keep in mind that we’re also highly influenced by those we spend the most time with.  Solomon tells us not to desire to be with those who embrace evil and have given their lives over to practicing it because the influences we surround ourselves with have a major impact on the flavor our life eventually takes on.

Have you ever taken the time to examine pictures of historical leaders during the early 1800’s?  One curious pattern that many of them adopted was the pattern of placing their hand across their chest and partially tucking it into the front of their coat when they were being photographed or posing for a portrait.  Why did they do that?  Where did they pick up that habit? How did that become a trend?

That was a habit that was picked up from Napoleon.  Since he often posed with his hand positioned like that, those who feared and admired him did the exact same thing all throughout the world.

"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)

How comfortable would you be if you found out someone was imitating your life and your faith?  

When Paul was in the process of planting churches and training leaders in the early church, he encouraged them to copy him.  That’s a brave statement to make because what if you’re doing something that isn’t wise to copy?  What if someone starts making life decisions based on your example and that leads them down a destructive path?  

Paul was aware of his limitations, frailties, and the fact that he was still a work in progress himself.  That’s why he made it clear to the church in Corinth to imitate or copy him as he imitated Christ.  

Paul was trying to show us that Christ is the ultimate example we all need to be following.

III. Jesus is worthy of our admiration

"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21)

When I was in college, I saw something that I’ll never forget.  It was common for families to visit the college to determine whether or not it was the best option for their children.  We would frequently see guests on campus and they would often ask us for help finding certain buildings and locations.

One afternoon while I was walking between buildings, I saw a family of about 6 or 7 people.  The father was leading the group through campus, but he wasn’t saying a word.  Every one of his children followed him, single file, in height order, wherever he went.  If he walked to the right, they went to the right.  If he dipped left, the line moved to the left.  Part of me was impressed with that level of discipline, but another part was confused because that’s not a very common sight to see.

Jesus is worthy of our admiration, and Scripture admonishes us to follow in His steps.  As He spoke, we speak.  As He acted, we act.  As He obeyed the will of the Father, we obey.  Christ suffered for us here on earth so we could experience His eternal glory forever.  He endured scorn, shame, pain, and death so we could be granted new life through faith in Him.  And He doesn’t want this new life He secured for us to be “kind-of new life.”  He paid too steep a price for us to do anything less than follow Him with every fiber of our being.

If our hearts are going to be filled with admiration for anyone, Christ is the one who is ultimately worthy to receive that attention and affection.

• As Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father, so too should we be.

• As Jesus spoke confrontationally to the self-righteous, and compassionately to the discouraged, so too should we.

• As Jesus was willing to give of Himself for the greater good of those He loved, so too should we.

• As Jesus chose to love the most unlovable people of His day, so too should we.

In the end, it’s really only Jesus who is worthy of our deepest admiration.  The examples we admire on this earth should be those who have given themselves to reflecting His loving heart.

Have we given ourselves to reflecting Him?  Have our lives become a reflection of the heart of Jesus?

© John Stange, 2021

Why Christians should write books and blog posts

A guest post submitted by Jennifer Harshman…

CS Lewis said, “The world does not need more Christian literature. What it needs is more Christians writing good literature.” The word literature here refers to all sorts of quality writing. This does not mean that the books and other forms of writing need to be like material that is now classified as “literature.” It can be nonfiction and other forms of fiction as well. The point Lewis was making is that you should be writing. You can have a positive influence on the world, and as people of faith, we know that what we do has eternal ramifications, so that positive influence you have with your writing will last forever.

Why Did Paul Write Ephesians, Galatians . . . 

Paul wrote letters to the churches of his day to encourage the believers, remind them of the teachings, and even admonish them for missing the mark. Those letters became books in the Bible and have served and influenced billions of people. I don’t say this to make you feel pressured or compared to Paul.

You don’t have to reach billions or even millions with your writing. You might reach a very small number of people, but that’s okay. You should still write. What if your book or blog post saves a marriage? What if it saves a life? Isn’t it worth the time and effort it took you to write the piece?

Writing Furthers the Kingdom

Good written content can further the Kingdom of God. To put it very simply, you can make a difference, and that difference can be eternal, even if what you’re writing isn’t religious material.

Authors and bloggers receive messages from readers telling them about the differences they’ve made in the readers’ lives. More than a few of my clients have shown me screenshots they’ve received, with statements from readers saying, “You saved my life.” It blows my clients away, and they feel awed at the opportunity to make such a difference and thankful for my help in doing so. Of course, I am honored to facilitate and encourage their work.

You can share your message with others. Writing gives you an effective way to share on a subject that is important to you.

The gifts you give from any increase in your income will benefit your local church, which also helps to further the Kingdom. Writing can also fund your other ministry efforts, such as short-term mission trips or projects that are near and dear to your heart.

Writing as Ministry

Writing is ministry, whether we think of it that way or not. You don’t have to be an ordained minister like Pastor Stange is, and you don’t have to write books that are as amazing and impactful as his are. Just write what God has given you to write. It will help people. If you want someone to walk with you through the process, let me know because that’s my ministry.

We as Christians are commanded to reach others, and writing is a very effective way to do that, even if the writing isn’t a “Christian book.” The world needs us to do our work with integrity and excellence, which means producing quality writing. Any given thing we do could point people toward God. Some people’s work is easily labeled as ministry, but every task that is done as if unto the Lord and for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom can point believers and unbelievers alike to Christ.

Obedience – the Parable of the Talents

The Lord has entrusted each of us with abilities, and we should use them to create results and serve others. Imagine hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant” because you did what you could with what you were given. If you have knowledge and experience, you can and should use it to help others. Writing is a great way to do that. Don’t worry if you don’t know how. Many resources exist to help you.

Personal Benefits to Writing

There are also personal benefits to writing. As much as we all love to serve God and others, we also need to benefit in some way from our work. Here are some of the ways you can benefit from writing.

Writing increases your effectiveness.

Writing can leverage your time and effort. It is also more efficient than having the same conversation over and over again. You can also repurpose your content to create an even greater impact with very little extra work. Book excerpts can be used in web content, lead magnets and other giveaways, blogs, white papers and other reports, and social media.

Writing establishes you as an expert.

Writing a book is an instant credibility booster. In fact, it’s the fastest path to a substantial gain in credibility. A book will give you expert status. It will establish you as an expert in your field. You will be instantly seen as the authority on that subject.

A book can also be used as a promotional item and marketing tool for your business. The book is the new business card. If you are running a business, writing a book will also be perfect for increasing your brand credibility and business reputation. The second you tell people that you wrote a book, you’ll see an instant increase in respect for you written all over their face. “She wrote the book on it” is in our vocabulary for a reason.

Writing opens doors.

Writing opens doors and brings opportunities. Because you have proven you are an expert in your area and can contribute in significant ways, you will have more chances to consult with organizations, speak publicly, and participate on boards or panels.

Writing can become a source of income.

This will not necessarily come through book sales, however. The bad news here is that mostauthors do not make money directly from their books. In fact, most authors are lucky to break even on their book. So why write? Your published pieces are tools. They promote you or your business, and they will open doors for you and bring many opportunities to minister to others. Those might include public speaking, consulting, teaching, or even ministry positions. For most authors, one or two keynote speeches will pay for the investment of putting out a book. It’s worth it. Writing can certainly lead to higher income; it’s just usually through indirect ways.

Writing leads to learning and growth.

Your learning and growth will benefit both you and your readers. Through the process of researching and writing, you’ll also build your ability to affect others in everything you do.

Writing speaks in more than one way.

• A book that has your name on it as the author (or as one of the authors) proves a few things:

• You were here.

• You had something to say and the guts to obey.

• Your life and your work mattered.

• You generously and bravely contributed something to the world.

How to write a book

It’s okay if you don’t know how to write a book. Most authors didn’t get a degree in creative writing to learn how to create a book. Most simply learned by following in the footsteps of other authors. You just need an effective process and the willingness to follow it through to completion.

Writing is a skill anyone can master. Stop asking, “Should I write?” and start asking, “How can I start right now?”

To write your book or blog posts, you will need to brainstorm ideas and then organize them in a way that makes sense and serves your readers.

You’ll need to outline your piece well at the beginning. Once you have a detailed outline, then your books or blog posts will seem to almost write themselves. Then you’ll need to walk through each of the other steps in the process.

So, whether for Kingdom work, personal motivations, or business strategies, writing a book will bring positive things into your life as you serve others. Remember that your message matters, and like your other actions, it will live on forever.

If you are wondering if you should write a book or blog posts, the answer is yes, you should. So make the decision to do it. You can write and publish impactful books or blog posts. The hardest part will be taking the first step, which is committing to the journey. I’ve created resources, courses, and writing tips that will teach you exactly how to write your nonfiction book and blog posts.

---

Contact info:

Website: www.harshmanservices.com

Email: Jennifer@harshmanservices.com

Facebook business page: www.facebook.com/harshmanservices

Facebook personal page: www.facebook.com/jennifer.harshman

—Jennifer Harshman,

word nerd, writing and publishing expert

www.harshmanservices.com

The advantage of finding your sufficiency in Jesus

A few days ago, I participated in an online meeting with various other ministry and business leaders. We meet regularly to keep each other accountable, exchange ideas, and motivate each other if we start getting into a slump.

Part way through the meeting, Bee Evans, a leader from Colorado expressed frustration with what she was working on. She was attempting to record an episode of her podcast, but she kept tripping over her words and making mistakes that forced her to re-record several times in a row. Her show is primarily about not labeling yourself in unhealthy ways, but as she made recording mistakes that day, she admitted that she kept saying to herself, "You stink!" She confessed the irony to our group and called that out into the light so she could move past it and actually get her work done.

How often have we all done the same thing? Do you label yourself in unhealthy ways? Are you trying to find your sense of sufficiency in how well you perform, how much you own, or how other people start to see you? Is there any real long-term advantage to doing that?

One of the great blessings we experience as followers of Christ is the advantage of finding our sense of sufficiency through Jesus. In Him, and through Him, we are made a new creation and we no longer need to try to find our sense of sufficiency through anything or anyone less than Jesus.

Proverbs 23 gives us a few examples of the consequences that can come when we mistakenly try to find our sufficiency through anything less than Jesus. It can actually cause us to be taken advantage of, or take advantage of others in unhealthy ways.

I. Don't let yourself be taken advantage of easily

When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
    observe carefully what is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies,
    for they are deceptive food. (Proverbs 23:1-3)

During the era of time when Solomon sat on the throne in Israel, he was one of the most prominent leaders in the world. He was known for his wisdom and his wealth. He was also prone to make diplomatic agreements with other heads of state. Solomon was well aware of how they tended to operate.

In that era, it wasn't uncommon for a person of great wealth and prominence to use their riches to attempt to influence others to do their bidding. For a season, they might flatter the person they were trying to take advantage of. They might shower them with kind words and gifts, or invite them to an opulent meal. But Solomon expressed caution about these things.

Because he was a man of great wealth, things like this didn't impress Solomon in the same way someone of lesser means might be impressed. He could see beyond the opulence and perceive motives that might have been hidden from a more common observer.

Look at the strong language Solomon uses in this passage. He encourages the reader to "observe carefully" what is put before them, and "put a knife to your throat" if you're tempted to eat the opulent delicacies and then be taken advantage of.

Have you ever been taken advantage of by someone you trusted? I remember years ago when I was a teenager, my father was invited to bring our family to a nice buffet meal and "listen to a presentation." He was also told that we would be given free tickets to Disney World at the end. He agreed, and we went and enjoyed the food, but the event dragged on forever before they finally gave him the tickets they promised. The whole thing was a well-disguised, high-pressure sales pitch to attempt to convince him to buy a timeshare in Central Florida.

Deception comes at us from many angles. At times, we may experience it from other people, but it's also wise to be well aware of the fact that the devil himself loves to put an impressive spread of false promises before us in his attempts to lure us toward attempting to satisfy our souls with the things of this world, instead of finding our sense of sufficiency through Christ.

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." (Col. 2:8)

"The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." (2 Thes. 2:9-10)

Because your sufficiency is in Christ, don't let yourself be taken advantage of easily.

II. It is of no advantage to you to work yourself to death

4 Do not toil to acquire wealth;
    be discerning enough to desist.
5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
    for suddenly it sprouts wings,
    flying like an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:4-5)

I was recently talking to a man from Australia and he joked about a few of the differences between Americans and Australians. I enjoyed hearing his perspective. One of the things he said was, "Americans are all work. You don't know how to take a break." Is he correct?

Solomon gives us some interesting counsel in this passage. As someone who had been blessed with great wealth, he could testify that wealth wasn't as amazing as people sometimes made it out to be. It's not worth devoting your life to it, and it isn't wise to work yourself to death because the wealth you're trying to accumulate can fly away just as quickly, or even quicker than it was acquired.

A healthy life is invested in more than riches, but that isn't always the lesson we reinforce to each other. I still remember the years when I was the director of a summer camp. One of the hardest tasks I had was finding qualified staff. Many of our staff members were in high school or college and some of their parents would try to convince them not to work at camp because they could "earn more money" working somewhere else. Instead of allowing their children to experience the blessing of an entire summer immersed in a culture that would feed their faith, they taught their children to value money over growth, over experiences, and over relationships.

Solomon advises us that when we do our toil, it should be about more than just acquiring wealth. I interviewed Dan Miller, the author of "48 Days to the Work and Life you Love" the other day and he also shared that we should be wise enough to select work that aligns with God's calling on our lives. He stressed that there can be great joy in that. I think Solomon would have agreed.

I also appreciate Solomon's counsel to, "be discerning enough to desist." There's a time when it's best to say "enough." Yes, we need to earn a living. Yes, we need to feed, clothe, and shelter our families. But eventually, we need to come to the place where we accept that what we have is enough. It's impossible to satisfy the longing of our hearts through the accumulation of things that we cannot hold onto forever.

In Luke 12, Jesus also showed us that it's of no advantage to us to work ourselves to death in the vain attempt to accumulate the fleeting riches of this world. He showed us that doing so has the capacity to sap the joy out of life because we'll end up missing the point of who God has created us to be, and how He seeks to relate to us as our Father.

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!" (Luke 12:27-28)

It's of no advantage for you to work yourself to death, but it's of great advantage to you to trust Jesus who did the work on your behalf that was necessary to reconcile you to the Father.

III. Don't take advantage of those who are at your mercy

10 Do not move an ancient landmark
    or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Redeemer is strong;
    he will plead their cause against you. (Proverbs 23:10-11)

There isn't a single day of my life that I should forget the fact that I am an object of the mercy of God that has been shown to me in Jesus Christ. I deserved condemnation. I deserved to be eternally separated from the love of God, but Jesus endured my punishment. Jesus endured the righteous wrath of the Father so I could become a child of God. Now, as a recipient of God's mercy, it is his calling on my life to demonstrate mercy.

But not everyone embraces that mindset. In fact, it has often been said that you can tell a lot about a person's character by giving them power. You'll see what they're really made of by how they use the power they're given. Some will show mercy, but unfortunately, some will take advantage of those who are at their mercy.

I think Solomon is giving an example of that in this passage. He speaks of people who move ancient landmarks, most likely to illustrate how the powerful attempt to steal the land of those who can't stand up to them. He mentions those who would rob orphans because they seem defenseless.

Thankfully, no believer is ever truly defenseless. Men in powerful positions might try to take advantage of those who seem powerless, but Solomon warns those who might attempt such activity that our Redeemer is strong. The Lord Himself will fight for His children.

I don't know if you already saw this video, but several months ago, a man was walking with his little puppy near a pond when an alligator jumped out of the water, grabbed the dog in its mouth, and dragged it underwater. Immediately, the man instinctively jumped into the pond, dragged the alligator out, pulled its jaws apart just wide enough for the puppy to escape, and rescued the life of his new pet.

If a man is willing to wrestle an alligator to save a puppy, how much more is our Redeemer willing to rescue and defend His very own children. His saves us, defends us, identifies us as His own, and gives us daily reminders of the fact that we are forevermore sufficient in Christ. This world might try to take advantage of us, but our Savior remains by our side.

© John Stange, 2021

Five helpful truths parents need to keep telling themselves

I have developed some unique habits over the course of my life that seem to serve me well, but if I admitted all of them to you, you'd probably laugh. One of the habits that I developed as a teenager was to write out a list of advice to myself on how to raise teenagers because I was convinced that I would forget what it was like to be a teenager once I had kids of my own. Believe it or not, some of that advice has been rather practical.

If the Lord is calling you to raise children in the future or in the present, or if you've already raised your children and you're into the season of leaving a legacy for your grandchildren, please allow me to point out five principles I believe are taught in Scripture, about the process of training and influencing the life of a child.

I. Parenting children is rewarding, but it isn't easy

I enjoy being a father. The blessing of having children and raising them together with my wife has been an experience that I have truly considered a gift from God. When I think back over the past twenty years, my mind is filled with snapshots of conversations, day-trips, silly moments, vacations, and milestones. Most of the experiences we've been blessed to have together have been positive and rewarding, but other experiences have been infuriating, scary, or even heart-breaking. I'm sure my parents would say the same thing, as would their parents.

Parenting children is rewarding, but it isn't easy. When you have a child, you've basically committed yourself to thinking about their well-being continually, for the rest of your life. You'll do your best to protect them, provide for them, offer them counsel, and point them to Jesus, but the experience will stretch you in ways you didn't expect. The stretching probably won't feel good, but it is a good thing. I believe it's something the Lord uses in two ways.

First, I believe it's part of His sanctifying process. He uses it to produce holiness in our lives by teaching us more about the importance of self-sacrifice, admitting we aren't perfect, and relying on His help.

"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Second, I believe He helps us gain a greater glimpse of His heart through the process of raising a child. In my case, I can testify that He has been using my experience of raising children to help me learn more about the nature of unconditional love, the kind of love first demonstrated to us through Him.

II. You're responsible for what you model and teach, not what your child ultimately does with it

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

Those of you who have multiple children can testify that each child is unique. They may have the same two parents, grow up with the same instruction, live in the same house, but be completely different in nearly every way. Some may latch on to your wisdom and instruction early, while others rebel. Some may show an interest in spiritual things while they still live with you, while others might take longer for their eyes to be opened.

The promise we're given here in this portion of Scripture is that there will be fruit that comes from the investments we make in our children. If we model what it means to follow Jesus, and teach them how to navigate life experiences with Christ as their central focus, there will come a day, possibly much later in life, when that instruction will bear fruit.

I think that's helpful knowledge to embrace because many if not most parents share a similar quirk. Instead of accepting the fact that there will be times when our children make errors in judgment, we blame ourselves for every mistake or unwise decision they make. And that self-blame tends to get really strong when those children become adults who may make choices we're uncomfortable with. So please keep in mind, you're responsible for what you model and teach, not what your child ultimately does with it.

Some years ago, a friend of mine whose children are all adults asked me if we could chat. Two of her children were on a good path, and two weren't. Not long after that, I was talking with another friend who said something similar about his children. Fast forward just a little while after that and another friend with adult children told me the same thing about his kids.

I'm learning that seems to be a common reality for most parents. Different children make different decisions at different times. Some decisions will be wise, helpful, and godly. Other decisions will be harmful, destructive, and heart-breaking. And God Himself is sympathetic to it all because He experiences the same exact thing from us. When we look back in history to the first man and woman, we can see that just because you're raised by the perfect parent in the perfect environment doesn't mean you aren't going to rebel or make poor choices.

We are responsible for what we model and teach, not what our children ultimately do with what we've offered them.

III. If you don't influence your child for good, the culture will be happy to influence them for evil

We live in an era of many influences, some good and some bad. Our senses are continually being bombarded with information. It may even begin to feel like everyone is trying to either influence us, entertain us, sell to us, or control us. I guess it probably feels that way because it's true.

What influences are you allowing into your home, or endorsing through your consumption habits? I don't ask that to make you feel guilty, but I do ask that to invite us all, myself included, to become more intentional about this because if we don't influence our children for good, the culture will be more than happy to influence them for evil.

We may not think about this often enough, but there is actually a spiritual battle taking place every day for control of our minds.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ," (2 Cor. 10:3-5)

A key aspect of household leadership is the influence we have on those the Lord entrusts to our care. One of the greatest facets of the legacy you will leave to the generations that come after you is your influence. In fact, every day I'm being influenced by the lives of people who are no longer living. Typically it's because they set an example for me that's reiterated in what I have read, or the stories that are still being told.

If you're raising children, or already raised them, you continue to be a powerful force to influence them. As you remain careful to yield your mind to Christ, and surround yourself with influences that point you toward Him, the fruit of that example will reach into the lives of those who watch and learn from you. The culture may try to point your children and grandchildren away from Christ, but your life can be used by Him to point them toward Him.

IV. You're going to need to trust the Lord's promise on days when it seems unlikely to come to pass

I received a call on Thursday night from a friend who wanted to talk about raising children. She and her husband have an infant son, so she wanted to talk to someone who has already been through the process of raising sons to see what I would say. One of the comments she made to me was, "Parenting a baby is the most enjoyable thing I have ever done, but it's also the hardest." Being a wise-guy I said to her, "I have good news, it only gets harder."

Proverbs 22:6 assures us that if we train our children in the way they should go, they won't depart from it when they're old, but there are going to be many days when we're going to have to accept that teaching by faith because our eyes may be seeing something drastically different.

I was recently reading a story about one of Billy Graham's daughters that I found instructive. Many of us, myself included, have a great degree of respect for Billy and Ruth Graham, and the ways the Lord used them to bring millions of people unto Himself, but keep in mind they were also battle-weary parents who experienced some of life's hardest moments.

One of their daughters in particular went through a very difficult stretch of life early in her adulthood. She did what so many of us have done and rejected the good counsel she was given in some key areas of life by choosing to elevate her own ideas over the wisdom that was offered to her. Eventually, it all came crashing down and she found herself in genuine need of her parents' help in order to pick up the pieces.

Amazingly, they didn't crush her spirit when she came back to them. They didn't even express disappointment in her. Rather, they lovingly embraced her, welcomed her home, and helped her rebuild her life. Billy and Ruth trusted the Lord to bring their daughter back around even when it seemed unlikely, and that's exactly what they were able to witness Him do.

(Be sure to check out "Doing Life With Your Adult Children" by Jim Burns. That's where I read this story.)

V. You may not live to see the ultimate fruit of your investment, but it's OK to rejoice in it ahead of time

Take a quick look at these verses. What repeated assurances do you see?

• "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children," (Prov. 13:22a)

• "But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children," (Psalm 103:17)

• “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children—" (Deut. 4:9)

We tend to think in moments of time, but the Lord shows us that He's thinking generationally. He speaks into a moment, but can see beyond that moment into the future. As our faith develops, I think He's also helping us to do the same thing. He's teaching us to see things that haven't even happened yet and to treat them like they already have.

By faith, I believe Jesus is returning like I've already seen it. By faith, I believe that I will enjoy the blessings of being part of God's eternal kingdom like I'm already seated at the heavenly banquet table I'm going to eat at. I think God also wants me to trust Him for the promises His word shares about my children, their children, and their children, whether I live long enough to see it with my own eyes or not. So I'm going to remain optimistic and rejoice about these things ahead of time because I believe the promise of God is true.

--

If you're preparing to become a parent, have adult children, or you're somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum, I hope you'll take great encouragement from God's promises to you. Through faith in Jesus, you become a child of God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you're enabled to raise children. Rely on God's guidance to see you through the process, trust Him to do what only He can do, and start looking forward to the blessings you can't yet see like you've already seen them.

© John Stange, 2021

God can turn even the hardest of hearts

What do biscotti and power steering have in common?

Last week, we received a package. It was sent to us from Italy where one of my wife's friends recently moved. The box was filled with all kinds of treats and fun things to eat. It had some Italian chocolates, a tasty dessert spread made from hazelnuts, and a few other items that Andrea was asked to share with some of her co-workers. In addition to that, her friend gave us a bag of biscotti. If you aren't familiar with biscotti, it's a hard dessert bread that's meant to be dipped in coffee or tea.

As I looked at all these goodies, and noticed that Andrea was about to enjoy some of the biscotti, I decided to help myself to some as well. I picked up a piece to bite it when she yelled, "Wait! You'll hurt your teeth! It needs to be dipped in coffee first to make it softer." I'm aware of that, but I took her advice and dipped it in my drink which certainly made it softer and safer to chew.

With that in mind, let me ask a related question that probably doesn't seem connected, but I promise you it is.

Have you ever attempted to steer your car when it's off? What happens? When you try to steer it without the power turned on, you'll find yourself barely able to turn the wheel. But when the car is fired up, the wheel moves with ease.

Biscotti needs coffee to make it soft and chewable. A car needs power in order to steer properly. And if our hearts are missing something, we'll also be hard and unmovable. Our hearts need the presence of Christ, and I'm grateful to see in the opening verses of Proverbs 21 that the Lord can steer, turn, and soften even the hardest of hearts.

I. God can turn the hearts of kings

The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
    he turns it wherever he will. (Proverbs 21:1)

Without a doubt, our lives are directly impacted by the decisions of those who serve in leadership. Even with all of its imperfections, I'm truly grateful to live in the country I live in. I consider it a blessing, but I have been alive long enough to know that my life and the lives of my family members will be impacted by those who occupy elected office.

But I also know something else, and I think this is the perfect time to express this fact. There is no earthly leader who is worthy of being the recipient of my greatest hopes. They all struggle. They all get some things right and some things wrong. And while I'm the type of citizen who votes in every election, I'm also the type of Christian who makes a point to remind himself that my greatest hope can only ever be in the benevolent and perfect leadership of Jesus Christ my Lord.

With that said, I still want to be a productive member of society who stays invested in the well-being of our nation. So what's one of the most productive things I can be doing regardless of who is president, governor, senator, or mayor? Scripture teaches that it will make a direct impact on our nation, our families, and our individual lives if we make a concerted effort to remember our leaders in prayer. We should pray for the leaders we like and pray for the leaders we dislike because God can give them wisdom and change their hearts.

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

I remember thinking about this concept quite regularly when I was in college. That was the first time I had the privilege to vote in a presidential election and I was quite excited about it. Unfortunately, the candidate I voted for didn't win and I wasn't feeling too good about it. Then, one Sunday in church, our pastor was preaching from Proverbs 21 and I was relieved to see what it stated. We're told in the first verse of that chapter that the Lord can turn the heart of a king in whichever direction He chooses. History is filled with examples of the Lord doing just that.

I don't know how you feel about who is in leadership at present on the state or national level, or how you feel about the people that are about to assume those offices, but the advice Scripture gives us is the same no matter who temporarily serves in those positions of leadership. Pray for them. Entrust them over to the Lord. Ask the Lord to direct the decisions they make, but trust Jesus to be the ultimate leader and Lord.

Our hearts and our nation will both be better off if we take this counsel that we're given in God's word.

II. God can see the hidden motives of our hearts

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the heart. (Proverbs 21:2)

Have you ever met someone and made an incorrect assumption about them? I think we've all done that more times than we can count. When we meet people, we tend to make judgments based on external factors. We assess each other based on what we see and what we hear because we can't see what's really going on inside.

Based on our ability to know what we're thinking and what our motives may be, we have the capacity to assess our own motives with more clarity. But how often do we do that? Are we actually honest with ourselves about what motivates our actions? Sometimes I wonder if we as people who are affected by the presence of sin actually have the capacity to do anything with truly pure motives.

The Lord knows our hearts. He knows that by nature, our hearts are desperately wicked. He also knows that through Him, we're given a new heart.

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)

When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we're given a new heart. Our old heart was self-focused, selfish, and bent on destruction. Our new heart is sensitive to the Lord's leading and focused on giving Him glory. The Lord sees beyond the way we present ourselves to one another, and He looks deep into our hearts to see what's really going on. Is His Spirit present, or are we still consumed with the cravings of our old nature?

III. God knows if our hearts are motivated to obey Him

To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. (Proverbs 21:3)

The other evening, I was having a conversation with my daughter Hannah. We were looking at a picture from thirty years ago when I was a teenager working at a summer camp. I made the comment to her that that was the summer I learned what it meant to love the Lord enough to actually obey Him. That was the turning point of my entire life.

Many people are under the false impression that they can just perform some act of sacrifice or service to curry God's favor and make up for a life of ignoring His voice, but Jesus already made the only sacrifice that was acceptable to the Father. When we convince ourselves that we can make some kind of sacrifice to the Lord to make up for a lifetime of ignoring Him, all we're doing is proving that two things are true; 1. We have bad theology, and 2. We're trying to be our own savior instead of trusting the Savior who gave Himself as a sacrifice for us.

Are you familiar with a singer named Keith Green? Keith passed away in a plane crash in 1982 at the age of 28. But prior to his death, he was one of the best known Christian musicians of the day. He wrote some very popular songs at the time and sold somewhere around one million copies of his albums.

His songs are what I like to call "lovingly confrontational." Let me give you a good example of that by quoting a few lines from his song, "To Obey is Better than Sacrifice."

To obey is better than sacrifice
I don't need your money
I want your life
And I hear you say that I'm coming back soon
But you act like I'll never return

Well you speak of grace and my love so sweet
How you thrive on milk, but reject My meat
And I can't help weeping of how it will be
If you keep on ignoring My words
Well you pray to prosper and succeed
But your flesh is something I just can't feed

To obey is better than sacrifice
I want more than Sunday and Wednesday nights
Cause if you can't come to Me every day
Then don't bother coming at all

To obey is better than sacrifice
I want hearts of fire
Not your prayers of ice
And I'm coming quickly
To give back to you
According to what you have done

-Keith Green, “To Obey is Better than Sacrifice”

Some people got annoyed with Keith Green's direct approach, but wasn't he saying the same exact thing Solomon said in Proverbs 21:3? God knows if our hearts are motivated to obey Him. "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." (Prov. 21:3)

IV. God wants us to have a heart for the person in need

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
    will himself call out and not be answered. (Proverbs 21:13)

One last thing about our hearts that I want to point out from this proverb is found in Proverbs 21:13. We're shown in this passage that the Lord wants us to listen to the cry of the poor. If we expect Him to listen our our pleas for mercy and help, we can't be ignorant to the pleas of those asking for that same kind of help, especially when it's in our power to offer it.

This is something the Lord has been speaking to me about lately. It's something that I'm starting to care about more than I used to. I don't know why it took as long as it did to grab my attention. It may be because I was still focused on my own struggles, but that's no excuse.

About a year ago, I was in a grocery store. I was only buying a couple things, so I didn't even grab a cart. When I walked up to the register, the woman in line ahead of me had a very full cart and was in the process of checking out. Only one register was open, so I waited.

When the cashier finished scanning her items, he told her the total was going to be about $115.00. She scanned her card to pay, and commented that she thought she had enough on it to cover the bill, but I guess she didn't because her card was declined multiple times. Embarrassed, she asked the cashier what she should do, and if she should put the items back on the shelf and he said, "I'll put them back." Then she walked out of the store embarrassed. It was an awkward thing to witness.

After I paid for my items, I walked outside and a flood of conviction came over me. I don't know why I didn't think of it when I was in the store, but as I was walking to my car I thought to myself, "I should have paid for her grocieries!" I felt sad that I didn't think to offer that in the moment, so I purposed in my heart that if that happened again, I would respond quicker.

Fast forward a year later and a woman I didn't know directly asked me for help with some food, and I thought of that moment, so I asked her, "What do you like to eat?" Then my wife and I bought it for her. I hope that will be my pattern going forward.

When Jesus came for us, He didn't come for people who were already spiritually well-off. We were spiritually bankrupt. We were spiritual debtors, and He paid the debt of our sin with the shedding of His blood. When we receive that needed gift by faith, our formerly hardened heart is turned and we're granted a rich inheritance in His kingdom. For His glory, He invites us to bless our neighbors in the same way He's graciously chosen to bless us.

I don't know where your heart is right now, but the Lord does. Let me encourage you to give your heart and your life over to Him. He's the only one who truly knows what to do with it.

© John Stange, 2021

We can rest in the purpose of God

Throughout the course of this past week, I received more emails and phone calls than I do on a typical week. The calls and conversations focused on a whole series of topics; spiritual needs, family needs, cultural concerns, and personal sorrow. Every one of us can identify with each one of those concerns, and I can think of distinct seasons of my own life when some of those topics have been quite prominent in my thinking (some very recently).

When we're wrestling with heavy concerns, there's two distinct ways to deal with them. We can attempt to approach them in our own power and wisdom, or we can trust the Lord to intervene on our behalf, accomplish His will, and give us the wisdom to know what to do on our end.

It also helps me when I'm going through seasons that weigh my heart down to try to think many years beyond that moment in time into the future days when the Lord will restore all things. The truth is, He has a purpose and a plan for everything we're going through at present. This past year has been an abnormally dark year for many people, but for those of us who genuinely trust in Jesus, I hope we're able to see a few steps beyond this moment in time. I continue to believe the Lord has greater things in store for us than we can possibly imagine.

I. The purpose of the Lord will stand

20 Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom in the future.
21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
    but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
    and a poor man is better than a liar. (Proverbs 19:20-22)

I enjoy sports, but the only sport I truly follow with consistency is professional football. Vince Lombardi is revered as one of the best football coaches of all time, and his years coaching the Green Bay Packers are considered legendary. Even the Super Bowl trophy is named the Lombardi Trophy in his honor.

Lombardi was a gifted and motivated coach. He could see where he wanted to take his team. Many players would say that he made them do things they didn't want to do in the moment, and he stretched them in ways they didn't want to be stretched, but when they experienced the victories they experienced as a result of his leadership, they began to value and respect his plan.

Our Lord provides us as His children with the greatest coaching we will ever experience. He's even gracious enough to surround us with people that He frequently speaks through in order to convey His wisdom to us. Solomon demonstrates that for us in these verses. He encourages us to listen to advice and accept instruction from the wise. And he makes it clear that even though our minds are great at coming up with all sorts of plans, it's the Lord's plan and the Lord's purpose that will ultimately stand.

So what are the Lord's purposes? What is His plan? I love what David says about the purpose of God in Psalm 138. "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands." (Psalm 138:8). The Lord's purpose for David's life involved saving him, teaching him, raising him up to a position of leadership, and sending Jesus Christ to this earth to be born through the lineage of David.

And with that in mind, what's the Lord's purpose for humanity? Paul explains the Lord's purpose in the book of 1 Timothy. "This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Our Heavenly Father desires to see humanity receive the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It is His purpose that we would stop believing lies or the falsehoods that keep many people deluded, and would come to the knowledge of the truth of the gospel.

When I observe the things that are going on around us right now, and I compare them to what Scripture reveals about the purposes of God, my heart feels much better. I'm confident that the Lord is working all things together toward a redemptive end. He is working in the midst of every circumstance to create the best opportunities for people to hear the gospel, recognize their need for Jesus, and respond to His gift of salvation.

II. Our minds and hearts find rest in Jesus

23 The fear of the Lord leads to life,
    and whoever has it rests satisfied;
    he will not be visited by harm.
24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish
    and will not even bring it back to his mouth. (Proverbs 19:23-24)

Nearly fifteen years ago, our family was invited to visit a friend's new house. She had just moved in, set up her furniture, and wanted us to see the place. So we made plans to visit, but the day before that scheduled visit, my grandmother passed away. We were all very close to my grandmother, so her passing was an emotionally heavy moment for us. In our grief, we talked about cancelling the visit to our friend's house, but ultimately decided not to call it off.

The next day we made the drive to visit. After receiving the tour, I happened to notice that she had a large chair in her living room, and I made the mistake of sitting down on it. Within a few minutes, I fell asleep. It was the best sleep I had in a long time, and everyone graciously let me rest. It felt restorative and allowed me to regain some strength at a time when I needed it.

Rest is something the Lord knows we need. We're actually designed by Him to require it, but there's a deeper form of rest than a good nap on a chair. Solomon speaks of that rest in this passage. As he does elsewhere in Proverbs, he reminds us of the virtue of living in the fear of the Lord. He also tells us that if we genuinely revere the Lord, we will rest satisfied. Our consciences won't weigh us down because we'll experience the peace of a healthy relationship with our Creator.

That stands in contrast to the pattern of living displayed by a sluggard who reaches into a bowl or a dish to grab some food, but is too lazy to then bring that food up to his face in order to eat it. That's not rest, that's laziness.

Our bodies need rest. That isn't something any of us would argue with. But our minds and hearts need rest as well, and most people struggle to find that rest even though it's right in front of them. We have been designed by Jesus to find rest in Jesus, but we'll never find that rest if we continue to run from Him. We find rest for our mind, heart, and soul when we draw near to His throne of grace.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

III. Chase foolishness and ignorance away

25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;
    reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
    is a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Cease to hear instruction, my son,
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge. (Proverbs 19:25-27)

Some people embrace the wisdom of God, but many people don't. Some people accept the gift of goodness the Father offers us through His Son, Jesus Christ, but many people push that gift far away from their thinking. Solomon gives us a picture of what that looks like in this passage. He shows us that some people learn from correction while others run from it or push the people out of their life who are offering it to them. But it's better to chase foolishness and ignorance away than to chase away those who lovingly offer it.

Have you ever been involved in a chase of any kind? Were you the one being chased or were you doing the chasing? Years ago, at our former home, we had a bear that kept wandering into our yard and tearing through our garbage. At least once a week, it was leaving a big mess all around our property. One evening as we were pulling into our driveway, I saw the bear dragging our trash though the yard and into the woods. Without much thought, I got out of our car, grabbed a broom that was leaning up against the house, and started chasing the bear. Admittedly, that may not have been the safest approach, but he never came back so at least there was a silver lining to the experience.

In the realm of spiritual wisdom, if we're going to chase anything away, let's not chase away the givers of truth. Let's chase away foolishness and ignorance so we can hear the gospel with clarity.

IV. The day of real justice is coming

28 A worthless witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers,
    and beating for the backs of fools. (Proverbs 19:28-29)

Solomon speaks of one last thing in this chapter of Proverbs. In the final two verses, he speaks of those who mock at justice. He tells us that two things await those who persist in their scoffing; condemnation and a beating. Neither of which sound pleasant.

What do you think about true justice? Does it ever feel like it's missing in this world? When we think about all the areas where it feels like it's past due for justice to be served, do you ever grow impatient about it? Do you ever feel hopeless? Well, if you're feeling hopeless, don't let that emotion take root in your heart for much longer. The day of real justice is coming and it will be administered by Jesus Himself.

"You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door." (James 5:8-9)

Every day we live is another day closer to Christ's return. The purposes of God for creation, history, and humanity will be brought to fruition, and by His grace, we have the privilege to rest confidently in Him while we watch His perfect (yet sometimes mysterious) plan unfold.

© John Stange, 2021