Do Gooders

In your mind does the term "do gooder" usually carry a good or bad conotation with it? Listen to some definitions on the term dogooder: Dictionary.com says that it is "a well-intentioned but naive and often ineffectual social or political reformer." Webster's Colligiate Dictionary defines this person as an impractical and often naive and ineffectual humanitarian or reformer." With definitions like that I think we can see why the word is so shunned.

The craziness comes when I remember that I am called over and over again to "do good deeds" by the God I am trying to follow.

We all back away from half-hearted sales attempts. We are leary about being taken, getting suckered by a smooth talker. So how do we do it? How can I be faithful to Christ and not be seen as an ineffective or disingenuous humanitarian or reformer?

One way to avoid that ending is to never look back; never dig-up dead things. Our old nature always scratched and clawed to place itself first. In Christ we have a new directive, to put others first. To treat others like we ourselves would like to be treated. That is a paradigm shift, that is the new calling and nature we have been called to embrace.

Matthew 12:33 says that we will know them buy there fruits. That a person can only be what he is and that we will be able to tell eventually by watching and examining the fruit of their lives.

Is your life attractive? Does your presence attract or repell those watching you?
Has anyone ever called you a dogooder? If they did how would they mean it?

In and through the power of Christ living in us we can become agents of change in a world dying to see the way out. Christ is the victor and he displays that victory in and through believers who have been transformed by his love and grace and filled to over flowing with his Holy Spirit.

Are you helping to redefine the term? Are you a dogooder? We can, and we should be agents of change for the good of those we serve.

Absolutely Amazing

Is God still amazing you? Has he changed?

Lets read Joshua 3:9, and remember a time when God promised to do amazing things among his people.

"Joshua told the people, 'consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."

Why do we look back in time and see differences in the wonder-working power of God among his people? Individually, I know that there are times of testing and trail and in those times my own faith is proven. I understand and accept that. But I never want to confuse those times with the reality that sometimes it could be my personal agenda, my abilities, or my anxiety that stand in the way of me seeing and experiencing God's amazing presense.

The first obstacle that trips us up is agenda. At times we all find ourselves struggling with God's agenda verses our own agenda. I believe God's agenda for our lives is found in the word of God. God's purposes if they are done in God's way are going to receive God's supply. We have to be careful of attitudes or actions that go against God's word.

So the first obstacle at times is agenda. The second obstacle is our own ability. Staying inside of our comfort zone. Only attempting what we know we can do. Following God in God's way is a risk and it will often lead us to places where we are very uncomfortable. If we fail to risk our Christianity becomes human sized, bland and boring, a toy-sized version of the real thing.

We will not see God's amazing things until we hear and respond to God's challenge, see his agenda and step toward him in that direction.

The third thing that gets in our way is anxiety. Fulfilling God's agenda with God's ability is scary at times. It is supposed to be. Courage is not action in the absense of fear. It is action in the face of fear. It is faithfully acting even though am afraid. It is consciously obeying the orders as I have understood them even though I do not understand how that will accomplish the task.

We must be found faithful even above looking sucessful. We must be willing to lay down our pride and accept that at times God is going to take us places that make us lean on him. That way, in the end, He is the one people notice working through our lives in "absolutley amazing" ways.

To Him be all honor and glory and praise

Behaving Valiantly

I have been away from the church for what seems like a very long time. I have been on the go for several weeks. This week I find myself out in the woods of Ft McCoy once again. We are conducting premobilization tasks and we are getting those boxes checked in preparation for our upcoming deployment. I have gone through several bouts of doubt and uncertanty this week. I am new to my job as a chaplain, new to the infantry and very aware that my status as a noncombatant in a unit that is full of combat experts makes me stand out.

One of the Amry Values is personal Courage, the ability to face fear, danger or adversity weather physical or moral. I have been asking myself what will keep me in the fight when it comes. It will not be my combat training, my military weapons, or my indepth experience. They are not what brought me here. It will be be Christ, the Scriptures and the spiritual weapons of our faith (2Cor 10:4).

The first weapon I have recognized for my arsonal is an attitude, like Christ, that humbly receives instead of openly rejects whatever comes. We often look at the negative as though it were an intruder. What we need to hold onto is the truth that happiness comes from overcoming, not avoiding difficult situations. The cross was not the only option for Jesus but through it lay God's very best.

The second weapon is the ability to respond verses react to situations. Whenever we simply react mechanically we are functioning at a subhuman level. God has uniquely gifted us with the capacity to think and to choose what is right and wrong. As individuals we can respond; that is we can project into any situation something that is the unique contribution of our personality, our creativity, or our spirituality. This was Christ's frame of mind when he spoke of returning good for evil.

The third and last weapon is the wisdom to rejoice instead of rebel. Rejoice that God will never stop until our understanding of ourselves matches His picture of us. We can rejoice that He is determined to show us what we are made of. We can rejoice knowing that "tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope" (Rom 5:3-4).

Personal courage is not a gift you are born with. It is a decision that we choose to develop and grow in. Fear is normal, faith is supernatural.

The next time you are challenged in your spirit to stand-up, stand-out, or stand-down I think that it will help you to recognize that every hero, every person who ends up acting valiantly does so because they at some point choose what was right, not easy, for their life.