No More, No Less

Self-righteousness, otherwise known as the “me monster”: the feeling that one is good enough, better than most, and has earned the position to speak into the lives of others from this position. Simply put, it is wrong, and to be absolutely honest, it is a place I like to go to. As a pastor, I want to live beyond reproach and hold myself to the highest of moral, ethical, and biblical standards. Unfortunately, this can all too often be used to elevate myself over others. I guess recognizing it truly is the only way I can keep myself from doing it all the time.

Do you know what I am talking about? Have you ever looked at someone else’s problems like you needed to speak into them – or worse, to speak to others about them? Jesus knew we would struggle with this, and had something to say about it:

Matthew 7:3-5 (ESV)

“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Jesus is simply saying that before you try to “see” others faults, make sure you have examined your own first. This is a tough but true statement. Why do we seem to find it so much easier to focus on the problems of others over our own? Well for me, it simply makes me feel better. Staying with the honesty theme, it makes my own personal problems seem not so bad, and if I take it a step further I can actually blame my problems on the other person! How awesome is that! Or is it?

Anyone else find that they do this too? I can only speak for me, but when I find myself doing this I only feel better for a while, and then I find myself on the island of angry, getting mad at everyone for anything and everything. It is not a good place, but I have the tendency to go there. But I am happy to say that I no longer stay there for extended periods of time…

The only thing that gets me off this island and reverses the Me Monster in me is learning. Learning where I am and who I am, compared to the One I claim to follow. As a follower of Christ, this humbly requires that I acknowledge Him and His position in my life, no more, but no less.

Paul said this best in his letter to the church in Corinth:

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 (ESV)

So for me, when I find the "me monster" rearing its ugly head, I return my focus to the One who gave me sight and life, and remember who He is and what He has already done. This focuses my attention on how much I love Him, and then it frees me up to live out His plan for my life to love others as He would have – and once again: no more, but also no less.

In His grip, 

Pastor Pat

Learn or Taught

Life lessons: those times and events in our lives where there is something we needed to know, but it was the life event that taught it to us. Like them or not, we all know and have experienced these lessons, and as parents, we try to teach our children so that they might avoid some of the more difficult ones, right? This is the same process that our parents tried with us, and how did we respond? It seems that every next generation has discovered a new way of doing things that surpasses the knowledge of the previous generation, ensuring that they will avoid making the same mistakes the previous generation made. How'd that work out for you?

Let's face it, there are lessons that we will either submit to someone's authority and learn, or we will be subject to the consequences, and taught the lesson on our own. One would think that after generations of this we would start to get the idea that willfully learning something is far less painful than it being taught through an event. Yet we seem to willfully subject ourselves to this process, so much so that "you will have to learn that on your own" has become a common (and accepted as truthful) phrase. A not-so-funny thing is that even through learning opportunities and life events, some people actually seem to refuse to learn - we have identified this in toddlers as the terrible twos, but it is not a condition that they hold exclusively at all.

Why is it so hard for us to learn or accept certain things? Or worse, why do some people refuse to ever learn some of these things at all? God has a plan and purpose for everyone's life, and there are things He will attempt to teach you if you are not willing to learn them. God's plan and purpose does not benefit God, but is simply what is the best for us. So then the choice about learning becomes not about "how" you will learn, but simply "if" you will. Look at this Proverb from the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon (ref. 1 Kings 4:29-34):

"Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:5, 7 ESV

The literal translation of the Greek word for disciple is a learner. The goal of a Christ follower is to become a disciple, therefore the best path to this would be one of a constant learner instead of one trying to get somewhere or be anything more than that. Then instead of being angry about something or someone, or struggling through life's ups and downs, one might look at everything and everyone as opportunities to learn how to be more Christ-like?

If acting in such a way as to be viewed as a life long learner would change how you view life and how you approach problems and people, then maybe you are in need of making a change:  One can either learn it now, or get taught it later - that choice is all yours.

In His Grip,

Pastor Pat

Revive or Survive?

The "Rat Race" of life. This saying conjures up the image of a lab rat trying to escape while running around a maze or a wheel: an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. Does this definition strike a cord with anyone? Most people look at life like the show "Survivor" or "The Amazing Race," like life is something that we must get through to get to the best "End" we can.

Life is meant to be more than survived: we were created to thrive in life. This is not to say that we were created to have no problems or issues. Instead of surviving life's problems, we were designed to thrive in them. Christianity is not a problem-avoidance religion that has as it's sole purpose to make our lives comfortable. That is not what Christ came to earth, suffered, died, and rose from the dead for. He came to offer us an abundant life now, and an eternal life later.

Problem is that just like any choice we make, there is a consequence: In order to live as God desires for us, we must first die to our self and live for Christ. Look what Jesus said about tis:

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:24,25 ESV

So Jesus is saying that in order to find the life God has for us, we must lose the life we think is best for us first. This is not easy teaching. As a matter of fact, it was this kind of teaching that offended many, and caused many people to stop following Him. This is the basis to thriving - by dying to self we can then be revived through Christ! Thriving therefore is all about revival not survival! It kind of takes some of the pressure off of us because the work required for this to take place, already took place when Jesus took our place on the cross!

Only when we are able to realize that we must die to self in order to truly live, can we be revived to the place of thriving over surviving. Live for Jesus and live a life that thrives!

In His grip,

Pastor Pat

Forgiven

Is there a person that has hurt you in some way that you just cringe whenever you think about them? Maybe it’s someone from long ago in your past, or maybe it was someone you “met” driving to church on Sunday. Either way, a mental image of this person produces not-so-nice feelings. Can we all agree we have someone like this, right?

If you are like me, and you have images from some time ago, when these people come to mind, you do not simply reflect on what they did to you, but often what you think needs to be done to them to “even” out the scales. And heaven forbid you know someone and you both have a common “enemy” – that can lead to a discussion, which often turns into a verbal bashing rather quickly. But what does this accomplish? In a word: nothing. How do we prevent or avoid this, in a word: forgiveness.

When we let the bad actions or hurtful words of someone take up residence inside of us – which is what we do when we hold on to memories about someone, we are giving up valuable internal real-estate where joyful memories could go, and putting garbage there instead. And when we keep these things in there, they grow don’t they? Bad memories have a way of growing and leaking into and onto all kinds of other thoughts, and if left unaddressed, they can consume us. Untreated bad memories become sources of bitterness, and bitter will grow and defeat better every time.

The treatment is simple, but far from easy. The solution provides a method by which bitter is removed, and better can flourish, and by better, I mean joy. This treatment and solution comes down to the willingness to forgive. I say willingness, because forgiveness is not conditional. Forgiveness does not have as a caveat any strings attached or conditions that need meeting first. Forgiveness is also not excusing someone’s bad behavior or forgetting it ever happened. Look at what Jesus said about forgiveness:

Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV)
¹⁴  For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 

¹⁵  but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

We forgive, because we need forgiving. Practice forgiveness, and watch what happens – I would be willing to bet that things will start to become brighter.

In His grip,

Pastor Pat