31. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

The idea of the New is upon us in full force today, as it is New Year’s Eve. While, for many, the night may be just another new party, others really attempt to use the change on the calendar as a marker for new adventures, new diets, new goals, new dreams, and new aspirations.

The idea of New is not new, actually. Newness has been a theme of life from the beginning. Even in the Old Testament, the concept of newness was apparent. Take for example the life of Moses. His calling, his embrace of the plan of God for his life, led him and others toward a new horizon. This man, purposed by God to lead others out of slavery and toward freedom in God, was not at all expecting the kind of life God was calling him to. In fact, when God began the draw Moses, Moses told his Maker, in no uncertain terms, that he was not the guy needed for the task at hand. Yet, as he walked toward his calling Moses found that his true purpose, and the call of his heart, was to lead others to an alternative reality beyond anything they had ever known.

Backing away from the new call initially, Moses eventually gave in, and as history records it, Moses was indeed found to be the man for the job, and his God-ordained leadership was critical in history and in the life of Israel. Without Moses playing the role he played all of recorded history, would in fact, be much different. In essence, Moses’ task, at a foundational level, was to embrace newness. This newness was a change in direction for him and a liberation for those that would follow him. This newness lied in the reality of a God who desires to make all things new in a world that has become all too comfortable with old ways which leave us wanting and empty.

The life of Moses and the journey he led, a journey toward the new promises of God, is a reminder to us this New Year of God’s call to us to desire and embrace the new realities God is calling us to. As we set our aspirations, ambitions, goals, and desires for the year ahead, we should be mindful that God is at work calling us to Himself and to new initiatives. The newness for each of us may be different, but each call of God is to embrace the newness of life which results when we follow Him on the trail He is blazing in front of us.

Just as embracing newness inspired Moses and resulted in freedom from slavery for many Israelites, so to our embrace of newness positions us for great accomplishments in this life. This year, be aware of the new things to which God is calling you. It may be a new career, a new relationship, a new season in life, a new perspective, a new hope, and for some, perhaps, a new view of life altogether. If you are trapped by patterns which you know are robbing you of the kind of life God has for you, this change on the calendar could serve to focus you on God’s call for you to turn your face toward Him and be made new from the inside out. Take Him up on His offer of change.

Just today I ran into a friend who I had not seen in a while. In our last conversation together I encouraged him to look for his passion in life and to pursue it. For him, as he told me today, that search resulted in a career change and a return to education. In his words, “I feel like a weight has been lifted.”, he said. He went on to tell me of his new pursuit to gain more education to better lead young people in the classroom, in sports, and in other venues. Leaving the rat race of material pursuit and a career he had been less than excited about for years, was a decision which freed his soul and energized him in a way he had not known in a very long time.

Each of us, as Moses and my friend found out, have the ability to embrace an energizing and liberating future. This future is found as we move toward those plans God has for us. As we walk in the direction of those dreams we find the life we were meant to live and we lead others to a much fuller life.

Embrace His Newness today and in the year to come,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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28. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

Dear Bruce,

I am single, middle-aged, fairly attractive, a committed Christian, and am hoping to be married some day.  I find myself all over the map in terms of what I am attracted to, and wonder how much practical thinking vs. spiritual thinking should go into the process of finding a mate.  I want to be with someone who is good for me and who God approves of, but I am not sure how I go about finding that.  How does a vibrant Christian person go about this “dating game?”

Thanks for your reply in advance,

A

Dear A,

The “dating game” you refer to can indeed be a bit challenging.  The focus for you, or anyone who is a committed Christian, should be upon building relationships with a solid spiritual foundation.  Notice I said “relationships” plural.  The reason I start here along with the encouragement to build upon common spiritual grounds is simple–you cannot know for sure, what kind of person you are, by God’s design, most compatible with.  That is to say, while you may have an idea of the type of person you are looking for, it is possible that someone with a little different twist may come along and you will be pleasantly surprised.  Compatibility, in my view, is a very critical factor, but you don’t always know ahead of time just what you are really compatible with.  So, spend time with a number of different people, building friendships, and allow that “spark” to be quickened naturally over time, and see where it leads.  Don’t go into each new relational interaction thinking “Is this the one I will marry?”  Sometimes a friendship is the best fit for two people.  That being said, when the “spark” ignites, built upon God’s principles for relationship building, then jump in and see where it might take the two of you.

Let’s assume, for the moment, that you are absolutely convinced of the need to be “matched” spiritually speaking, with this foundation in place (a non-negotiable) then you need to think through some practical realities.  You should be inclined pursue others with common interests.  Do you both like the arts, outdoors, sports, reading, travel, etc.  A high level of common likes and/or dislikes in these areas will provide for a setting in which you can enjoy each other as you enjoy life.  Further, you should be aware of personality issues.  While you should not be looking for your twin in the opposite sex, you do have a better chance, in my view, of a long-lasting relationship with someone who has a personality that blends well with yours.  Look for good “fits” but not a copy of yourself.  The nuances in personality ought to lead to some sort of relational chemistry.  You should really enjoy one another’s company.

Beyond common spiritual pursuits, common interests, and personalities that mesh well, I think you both need to be headed toward the same overarching goals in life.  Are you both on the same page in terms of education, curiosity about life, financial goals, and family issues?  Do you both have similar views on lifestyle choices?  Do you both have common ideas about the kind of place you would like to live?  Do you both like to put down roots, or do you both like to see the world and hop around a bit over the years?

With the spiritual focus in tune, and some of the other issues I brought up, in alignment, spend time growing and developing as a God leads.  Pursue friendship where it is appropriate, and allow God to “spark” your interest where something more might potentially develop.  Don’t fear the process, and don’t settle for less than God intends.  Be open to surprising twists of “fate”, and realize we do play a role in choosing.  God is more than likely not going to send you a companion sealed up in a FedEx box.  Get out there, meet people, build interesting relationships, and offer God’s best to others.  Ask yourself regularly, “Am I the kind of person, by God’s grace, that others would/should be drawn to?”  Building ourselves, and becoming what God calls us to be is the first factor in “finding” a great match.

Much Love,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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27. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

Today I watched as my son’s high school soccer team suffered the first loss of the season after 13 games.  The first half started strong, but then the wheels came off and what looked like another win at the half (we were leading 1-0) turned into 4-2 loss.  What was clear in the aftermath of the loss was that this group of confident teenagers had lost a bit of their undefeated swagger.  They were humbled.  So now, the question becomes, “Where do we go from here?”

In the midst of loss and defeat we all face a similar question.  When the hope we had for great triumph gives way to a crushing blow we are forced to wonder if the future will offer any joy or blessing.  “Where is God in this?”  That question is all too familiar is it not?  Today’s entry is for those who are in the midst of the holiday or post-holiday blues, and any of us who may be wondering what is ahead.  It is also for those who think they have life by the tail.  Today’s words, taken from one of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Christmas sermons, is a reminder of God’s affection for those who find themselves humbled.  It is a call, also, for all the victors  to remember the message of Jesus, the suffering servant.  He has a soft spot for the lowly.
God is near to you today, though you may not sense His presence.  Look to His heart for the lowly and find your rest and joy.  Bonhoeffer writes,

God in the “humble state” –that is the revolutionary, the passionate word of Advent.  First, Mary herself, the wife of a carpenter.  We may say, the poor working man’s wife, unnoticed by men–but now, insignificant and in her humble state as we might see it, she is significant to God and appointed to be mother of the Savior of the world.  Not because of some remarkable human trait in her, not because of some great piety, not because of her modesty, not because of any particular virtue in her, but apart from any of these characteristics, only because God’s gracious will is to love the humble and lowly, the insignificant.  He chose to make them great.  

…God is not ashamed to be with those of humble state.  He goes into the midst of it all, chooses one person to be His instrument, and does His miracle there, where one least expects it.  He loves the lost, the forgotten, the insignificant, the outcasts, the weak, and the broken.  Where men say, “lost,” He says, “found;” where men say, “condemned,” he says “redeemed;” where men say, “no,” He says, “yes.”  Where men look with indifference or superiority, He looks with burning love, such as nowhere else is to be found.  Where men say, “contemptible,” God cries, “blessed.”  When we reach a point in our lives at which we are not only ashamed of ourselves, but believe God is ashamed of us too, when we feel so far from God, more than we ever felt in our lives, then and precisely then, God is nearer to us than He has ever been.  It is then that He breaks into our lives.  It is then that He lets us know that that feeling of despair is taken away from us, so that we may grasp the wonder of His love, His nearness to us, and His grace.

In case you missed it, ran past it, looked over it, ignored it, or otherwise misplaced it… this, and precisely this, is the message of Christmas.  God is near.  He is near to you.  He is near to me.  He is near to those who need Him most.

I pray that we all walk in this reality now and in the New Year to come,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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26. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

Luke 1:46-55 reads,

And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.”

 I hit the pause button here, already, to highlight the foundation of Mary’s words which follow.  Her song of praise to the Lord finds its strength in this opening line which focuses upon God’s mindfulness toward the humble.  In humility, our being brought low, our recognition of our lowliness; we become ready for the entrance of God’s love and miraculous working in our lives.  Without this humility in place we can have no hope to find God.  He extends His power, grace, and wonder to those who admit need and who are open to underserved favor.  This is, after all, what Christmas is about-the extending of underserved favor toward humanity.

 The text continues,
“From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name.  His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He has brought down the rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as He said to our fathers.”

 As we move past the Christmas season and look toward the New Year celebrations, I would like to call our attention to the need for a humble perspective, and a perspective of hope.  Now that the buying and gift getting are out of the way, it is easy to run back to life as it was before the holiday.  But if we do this we have missed the entire meaning of the season.  

 Fundamentally, Christmas is our call to recognize what Mary saw in the miracle of Christ’s birth—the wonder of God moving on our behalf.  What we must see above all else about the Christmas celebration is that God is for us and desires to bring His love into our lives.  He longs to make an entrance into our lives.  We need only own up to our need of Him and our lack of ability to make this life what it ought to be.

 What Mary’s Advent song reminds us of is the foundational issue of all life—it begins and ends with the Giver of life.  We cannot, by our own effort or riches, make life what it is meant to be.  When we attempt to find life beyond The Source of life itself, we arrogantly deceive ourselves and we come up wanting.  However, in seeing the truth as Mary viewed it, we find that in our humility God lifts us up and provides a way for us to experience life to the full.

 As we move forward to begin a New Year, let us be joyfully mindful that our help in the year ahead must come from God alone.  If you are in need of a miracle on any level (spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, financially, medically…), bring your need to God.  You cannot buy or power your way out of the need if you hope to experience the wondrous reality of the life of God.  As Mary has reminded us, the arrogant He sends away, but the humble He raises up.  He is able to perform mighty deeds and He longs to perform them in your life.  Prepare your heart for the entrance of God.  Don’t rely on your money, persuasion, power, privilege, manipulation, talent, good looks, intelligence, or fame.  Rely upon the unmerited favor of a God who has acted, in Christ, on your behalf.  He is the hope of the heart.  He is the One thing for which we all ultimately long.  He alone fills the void that persists.  Don’t lose sight of the significance of Christmas in the year ahead.  His love and active involvement in our lives brings the true holiday of the soul.  This is a celebration that ought not end.

 Merry Christmas, God’s favor in the New Year,

Bruce Smith

Optimuslife.org

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21. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

Dear Bruce,

What is the deal with boundaries, rules, guidelines? And what about the “sin” stuff? Why is it so important that we focus on this stuff all the time? I just kinda live my life from day to day, try not to really harm anyone, and hope for the best. Is this not good enough?

I look forward to your reply,

Sam

Sam,

Great questions, really! I understand the perspective you have, as most of us tend to want to live that way. We like the sense of comfort (emotional, psychological) that we assume a “cruise control” approach offers. The difficulty is that life is always a bit more complex and it does not take very long before we have to put our hands on the wheel and our foot on the brake. Actually, you hint at this in your own question when you refer to the desire not to “harm” anyone. I will explain.

The idea of “harming”, on its own, must recognized as a moral category. This is obvious with just a little thought. To view an action as having the potential to “harm” is to suppose, morally speaking, that some standard, measurable moral law can be violated. Otherwise, any and every action is merely an action with no ability to harm or “disharm”, if I can invent a word.

What I am getting at is the reality we rarely think about, but upon which we all operate daily, actually moment by moment. We make decisions about everything we do based on some standard of measurement. If we work retail, we give a certain amount of change back to a customer. We either give them too much change, just the right amount, or we short-change them. However we slice it, a standard of reality is in play. This is true of all activity and all actions in our lives. In grade school, high school, and in the university, we measure our standard of accuracy/reality with tests. Those tests have right and wrong answers. We receive a score based upon our ability to “get it right”. 2 + 2= 4 always. Any other answer is wrong, always.

This idea of objective truth exists spiritually speaking as well. In fact, unless there is a standard of truth beyond our physical world, why would we expect to see standards of measurable reality to any extent in this world. Would all not be total chaos? If we follow this line of thinking we are ultimately brought to the reality of an absolute being beyond ourselves. If such an absolute exists, it would seem to make sense that this being would know all, even that which is, in reality, best for us.

This is the reason for the focus upon sin, truth, boundaries, and reality. This is the foundation for Optimuslife.org because our contention is that we find the life we were meant to live only as we know this being beyond ourselves, and walk in relationship with Him, learning and doing that which He assures us is for our good. That being said, I must remind you that we never suggest that we can earn or merit, by our good or right behavior, a proper standing before God. None of us can get it all right all the time. And because God is perfect, our getting it wrong leaves us with a gap between us and God. This is where grace, as revealed in the person of Jesus, comes in. The focus always remains on God’s active pursuit of us and His ability to offer us life as it ought to be even as we get it wrong so often.

Now, some practical reality. While your idea sounds good at first, it clearly breaks down. We all know that our actions do affect others. Those who would suggest, “Hey, leave me alone, its my life. I am not hurting anyone.”, are not operating in reality. Take fibbing for an example. Even if one thinks a simple lie may not be harming anyone, reality offers a different perspective. Even if one gets away with most of the lies, others are hurt. More practically, once people begin to see that our stories are not always accurate they begin to trust us less. Less trust between people results in a breakdown in relationship. Bottom line, relationships are harmed, people are harmed.

We could plug in any type of moral issue here and the reality would be the same. If we have no basis of measurement, no standard of absolute truth, then we, as a human people, cannot hope to keep from harming one another. This is true of sex, parent/child relationships, business practices, art, entertainment, romance, friendship, nation building, … Without a sense that an absolute being created us, loves us, and actually directs us in matters of conduct, we have no hope for anything but moral and relational chaos. For if one person believes in the value of gratuitous murder and another does not, how do we determine “harm” if left without a standard of truth? If one culture enjoys cannibalism and another not so much, who is right? If one culture sees no problem with prostitution, even child prostitution, and another cannot fathom the idea of such a thing, how do we establish an absolute guideline? Who is right? Where does the line of “harm” fall in such situations? It must come from beyond ourselves, otherwise we could have over 6 billion varied ideas on what is right, harmful, or proper.

In an odd sort of way, this leads me to point you to the value of the Advent season. Advent, which celebrates the coming of Christ, God in the flesh, to our world, is all about God stepping into our human story to shout the reality that He offers us the proper lens through which we can see the world. In advent we see sin for what it is and truth for who and what it is. It would appear that God has a very sober view of sin, since He chose to intervene in such a dramatic way on our behalf.

Christmas is about the good news of absolute truth! Rather than view absolute truth as a restrictive moral straight jacket, it ought be viewed as the life giving, soul protecting, and joyous revelation of God to us, for our good. Sadly, this is the very message the masses tend to miss during this “holiday”. Amidst all the consumerism, vacations, parties, food, and drink, most tend to miss the staggering reality that what we celebrate is the unfathomable idea that the God of the universe sent a divine message to us in a tiny package over 2,000 years ago. This gift, the way to a life worth living and an eternity of unending joy, is the one we should most hunger for. The baby in the manger, ignored by the innkeepers, and ignored by so much of humanity, is the gift which ought to keep us up all night as we await our embrace of Life. He is Life. He is the definitive reality. He is the one who took our harm upon Himself, and set us free to live for Him and others.

That is the deal, embrace this Truth,
Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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20. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

Legends are not born, they are made. That often repeated refrain has a distinct ring of truth to it, does it not? Take, for example, the story of a guy named Paul. Paul was bright, interesting, well-groomed, trained in high society, a part of the upper crust, and one who had the power to make or break others outside of his class, religion, and agenda.

For all of his youth, adolescence, and adulthood, Paul lived a privileged and comfortable existence, and he was well respected if not totally feared by many. One day, however, all of this changed. What looked like the life any would hunger to be born into was called into question in an instant. In that one defining moment Paul’s life was dramatically redirected, his ambitions refocused, and his drives recalibrated. Paul went from being a man of privilege and power to becoming a man devoted to humility, service to others, and sacrifice for those he once took advantage of.

If the story sounds familiar its because I am describing the life of the Apostle Paul, formerly known as Saul. As the story goes, Saul, a member of the elite, was a threat to the Christian community. He, in fact, spent his life seeing to it that these “followers of the way” were beaten, imprisoned, and even stoned to death. Saul was a killer. Yet, in a moment, as God revealed Himself to him, and as Paul saw who Saul really was, he was, like Isaiah (see Isaiah chapter 6) undone. Recognizing for the first time that the purpose of life lay beyond himself and his ideologies, Paul asked God for a complete transformation of his heart.

As history tells us, Paul became one of the foremost figures in all of Christendom, and spread the message of God around the world. Paul, once a killer of Jesus’ followers, became His most devoted champion and promoter of “the way”. Rather than giving beatings to others, he took body blows in the name of Christ. Rather than imprison others, he allowed himself to be chained for the gospel. Rather than stone others to death, Paul willingly endured the vicious pounding of his own flesh in order to spread the message. This legend, once born into class and privilege, saw his life captured by the Lover of his soul and he became a new man, a better man, a larger than life figure. Paul made the journey from being a self-absorbed, power hungry, religious zealot to becoming a rescuer of others.

In dramatic fashion, Paul’s life demonstrates how we are all made into the people God desires us to be. In reality, God’s goal is for each of us to make that journey. His aim for us is to travel along “the way” in order that we might know Him and that we might become rescuers of others. The element of rescue, I would suggest, is the essential element of a true legend. Its true of Zorro, Superman, Batman, the Fantastic Four, Legend, and Jesus Himself. Legends are meant to rescue.

The first step for Paul, and for us, as we make the journey toward becoming rescuers is a turn in focus. No rescuer lives up to the title with a focus on self. Rather, Coast Guard members, Navy Seals, paratroopers, superheroes, and all true rescuers must place the focus on others. Saving another requires an outward focus. This was true of Jesus as He willingly left His rightful place in Heaven to bring rescue to us who needed it so desperately. He risked, and willingly gave, His own life that we might live.

This risking of one’s own life was what ultimately defined Will Smith in Legend. Each and every day of his life, in that post-human world, was devoted to finding away to make things good again. His repeated mantra throughout the film, “I can fix this”, is the motto for all rescuers. Set aflame with the love of God and redefined by the power of God, each of us have the ability to live outside of ourselves and toward the “fixing” of others. Our hunger, as it was for Legend, is for things and people to be good again.

The passion to right the world and to see hearts restored and lives set right is the mark of those who are living legendary lives. Whether you are working daily in a hands on manner toward that end or if you are contributing funds, prayer, and encouragement to others on the front line, you know the overwhelming sense of satisfaction which comes from knowing that you are living a life that is bigger than yourself.

I have seen this rescuer spirit in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In the months following the devastation many have come to the Gulf Coast area to help in the rebuilding efforts. The church where I am a member has now brought in over 10,000 volunteers to aid in “rescuing” people’s lives, homes, and futures. It is inspiring to watch, and its very contagious. Even the likes of Brad Pitt are still pushing hard to aid in the rescue efforts in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. As Brad has discovered, and just as Paul found out, life is bigger than fame, power, and privilege. Life as it was meant to be lived is experienced as we perform legendary acts of love and kindness.

This kind of rescuing love is what propelled Mother Theresa to live a life devoted to the poorest among us. It is this kind of love which motivates wealthy businessmen to give of their time, effort and money to building orphanages in the Aids plagued regions of Africa. And it is this kind of rescuing passion which compels us to live each day, in every interaction, according to Jesus’ rescue manifesto found in the Sermon on the Mount.

The legend’s modus operandi for living is the counter-cultural life presented in the beatitudes. This is the “you have heard it said…but I say to you…” teachings of Jesus. The way of the world suggests that we repay evil with evil. The legend’s course is to repay evil and persecution with love and forgiveness. The way of the world instructs us to embrace pleasure without boundaries. The way of the legend is to remember that pleasure without boundaries leads to a devaluation of the soul. The way of the world is to cut bait and run when the going gets tough. The way of the legend sees great value in sticking to one’s commitments even amidst great obstacles and challenge. The way of the world leads the hurting heart to strike out in rage and anger when threatened. The way of the legend is a path which leads one to embrace a course of patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. The way of the world is to risk nothing if no immediate individual benefit can be realized. The way of the legend is to risk everything for the sake of the rescue effort and those being rescued.

And so, the goal for those who wish to pursue a life of overwhelming contentment and meaning is to find that place of rescue service and jump head first. All around us everyday (at the coffee shop, in the workplace, in our families, on the road, in our schools, on the ball field, at the gym, …) are people who are living quiet lives of desperation longing to be rescued from a mundane existence. Some are actually screaming out through their hurt and pain (often disguised in deceptively attractive ways) for a rescuer.

The call, the hope, and the high privilege we each have is that we, through our own rescue in Christ, can find the healing and help to “make things good again” for others. Are we listening to them? Can we hear the quiet desperation of those hanging on by a breath? Are we willing to allow ourselves to sense the true hunger of the souls around us? Are we willing to offer them life, rescue? Are we up to living the dream life of a true legend? Are we willing to lead others to listen to their own soul’s cry for “More!”

Mary Oliver, an award winning poet, captures these questions and realities in the following line:

Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?

Live a legendary life. Go rescue someone.

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.com

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19. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

Some have suggested that clothes “make” the man. Others are persuaded that clothes “tell” of the man. Either way you view it, clothes do, in a sense, tell something about us. As one who has an appreciation for art, design, architecture, and fashion, I am compelled that beauty, creativity, and presentation are an interesting facet of life. I see wonder in texture, shape, color, space, depth, and scale. This applies not only to the physical world, but to personality, relationships, worship, and to our spirituality. We were created by an amazingly creative being who has placed wonder and variety all around us. This world is “suited” up to display the handiwork of the creative power of God.

I would suggest, whatever your view of clothing may be, that as legends (those leaving a legacy) in the making, we ought to be concerned with how we are adorned. I speak of this adornment, of course, mostly in a spiritual sense. The metaphor of putting on or suiting up is appropriate as it relates to how we live and move in our daily life. If you know anything about college football you have, no doubt, learned of the multiple uniforms worn by the Oregon Ducks football team. Unlike any other team in collegiate sports, these wacky (pun intended…get it? Ducks, wacky…) ballers put on a different outfit for just about every game. I for one, dig their get-ups.

Before I get too far afield from the real topic at hand, let me get to the point. If we are to become the kind of people God has called us to be, and if we are to live the kind of life God has called us to live, and if we are to impact others as God has called us to impact those around us, then we ought to give great care to the way we “dress out” in the game of life. I will use a couple of stories, keeping the metaphor of clothing in play (in this case coats), to make the point.

In the days following the death of Blaise Pascal (1662) his housekeeper happened upon a find which shed a brilliant light on the conversion of this man, history’s most important mathematician. The find was in fact a coat of Pascal’s. The coat, known to be one which Pascal wore quite often, contained, sewn into the lining near the breast, a parchment and a piece of paper. On both the parchment and the paper, in Pascal’s own hand, a note was found. As it turns out, history now records this discovery as Blaise Pascal’s “night of fire”. This night of fire (written in 1654), which Blaise kept in his coat for the following eight years until his death, turns out to be Pascal’s most important life event.

This event, brought upon by Pascal’s reading of the crucifixion of Christ, is said to have been so defining for him that from this moment on he left his work in mathematics behind and devoted the remainder of his life to studying and writing about theological matters. It appears that Pascal was so overcome by the presence of Christ in that moment, that he was redefined as a human being. Below, are a few lines from Pascal’s “night of fire” found in his coat,

The year of grace 1654. Monday, 23 November, fest of St. Clement… From about half-past ten in the evening until about half-past midnight. Fire. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob… The God of Jesus Christ… Your God will be my God.

From that moment on Pascal’s life was changed, and his wardrobe redefined. Every day afterward he kept the night of fire close to his heart, sewn into the lining of his coat. A new man, a new uniform. He was suited up to be God’s man for the rest of his life. He went on to write Pensees, a remarkable work which is a collection of thoughts on life and God’s work in the world.

Another story highlighting the importance of our spiritual “threads” comes from Ravi Zacharias’ book, Can Man Live Without God. In the book he retells the story of Jakov and Cimmerman, originally told by Marie Chapian in the book Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. The story unfolds as follows:

There is a magnificent story in Marie Chapian’s book…which told of the sufferings of the true church in Yugoslavia where so much wrong has been perpetuated by the politicized ecclesiastical hierarchy. That which has gone on in the name of Christ for the enriching and empowering of corrupt church officials has been a terrible affront to decency.

One day an evangelist by the name of Jakov arrived in a certain village. He commiserated with an elderly man named Cimmerman on the tragedies he had experienced and talked to him of the love of Christ. Cimmerman abruptly interrupted Jakov and told him that he wished to have nothing to do with Christianity. He reminded Jakov of the dreadful history of the church in his town, a history replete with plundering, exploiting, and indeed with killing innocent people. “My own nephew was killed by them,” he said and angrily rebuffed any attempt on Jakov’s part to talk about Christ. “They wear those elaborate coats
and caps and crosses,” he said, “signifying a heavenly commission, but their evil designs and lives I cannot ignore.”

Jakov, looking for an occasion to get Cimmerman to change his line of thinking, said, “Cimmerman, can I ask you a question? Suppose I were to steal your coat, put it on, and break into a bank. Suppose further that the police sighted me running in the distance but could not catch up with me. One clue, however, put them onto your track; they recognized your coat. What would you say to them if they came to your house and accused you of breaking into the bank?”

“I would deny it,” said Cimmerman.

“‘Ah, but we saw your coat,‘ they would say,” retorted Jakov. This analogy quite annoyed Cimmerman, who ordered Jakov to leave his home.

Jakov continued to return to the village periodically just to befriend Cimmerman, encourage him, and share the love of Christ, with him. Finally one day Cimmerman asked, “How does one become a Christian?” and Jakov taught him the simple steps of repentance for sin and of trust in the work of Jesus Christ and gently pointed him to the Shepherd of his soul. Cimmerman bent his knee on the soil with his head bowed and surrendered his life to Christ. As he rose to his feet, wiping his tears, he embraced Jakov and said, “Thank you for being in my life.” And then he pointed to the heavens and whispered, “You wear His coat very well.”

And so the importance of our putting on the right suit becomes clear. It all begins when we, like Pascal, find our hearts afire with the love of God. As our soul’s are set ablaze for the life God intends for us we come truly alive for the first time. Our journey and calling just begin there, however, and God has much for us to do and to be. What the story of Jakov and Cimmerman highlights is the importance of our suiting up in such a way that we point others to God and not away from Him. Our coat (mode of living) is always giving others clues about the God we claim to serve. We must ask ourselves if our conduct, attitudes, and countenance clue people in to the nature of God or not. Our consistent, grace-filled, compassionate, spiritually poised, and forgiving presence could very well be the match which God uses to light the fire of salvation in the hearts of others.

If we are to have any hope of living as legends and leaving a God-honoring legacy, it will come from our intentional and grace inspired daily activity. If people see us hot for God one day and cold another, as a regular pattern, we are offering a false view of an ever loving and faithful God like those officials in Cimmerman’s village. If, however, we suit up for each an every situation which God calls us to (like Jakov and the Mighty Ducks of Oregon!) we can expect the legacy we leave to be defining and life-giving for many.

So, today, whatever you face, whoever you come across, regardless of the situation, remember that you never lock eyes with another human being who does not matter to God. Suit up, put on your best coat, and light up your world. We are to be the adornment of God, showing forth the compelling and matchless love of the One who was disrobed of the glory of heaven, sent to earth as a babe in a smelly manger, hung upon a cross, and was killed (and came back triumphant from the grave) in order that we might experience life to the full. As it is in the movie Legend, so it is in our lives, we are defined by our daily choices to impact the world. As we seek to bring light into the darkness, we can be assured that as the light moves forward the darkness diminishes. Let us, with the help of an active God, bring our conduct into the light of truth, and in doing so, may we lead others out of the darkness of life apart from God. We are leaving a legacy. Let us make it a good one. This is our calling in the Season of Light and all year round.

Tomorrow–Beattitudes and Beauty, The difference a legend makes

Show your threads!

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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18. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

As the plot in the movie Legend unfolds one is struck by the amount of time that Will Smith’s character spends waiting. Waiting, a theme in the movie, is also a theme in the life of any legend, real or imaginary, in general. It takes time to make a legend. Much goes into the creation of a legend. Much work, development, crisis, endurance, …and much time, are required if legendary status is to be achieved. This is indeed what the Christmas season is all about. The Legend of legends, Jesus, was sent to us in a certain time, after much waiting. The promise of this One, having been pointed to hundreds of years prior, was fulfilled according to God’s timing. As in the movie, so it is for humanity, the cure for our virulent strain came amidst an unassuming backdrop, despite our doubts, and despite our fears that we were left alone to grope in the dark.

But what is this darkness which besets us and for which we await a cure? And why can we not just be done with it once and for all? Can we be done with it once and for all?

We do not have to look far to find the stain of darkness which hovers over us, or rather, which runs within us. This reality was highlighted in my own life just a couple of weeks ago on a tennis court of all places. Though I never fulfilled those dreams of playing big time tennis I did get the chance to play in college, and did fairly well. Now at nearly 40 yrs. old (still in my thirties, though barely), I still play, and the competitive juices still have a tendency to hit the red-line mark on occasion. A couple of weekends ago, playing in a match my partner and I should have won, I had a little flare up, lost my composure, and allowed the virulent strain of competitive anger break out. My partner and I had just won the first set, and we were up 5-2 in the second set with a match point. The other team had been completely demoralized, embarrassed, snuffed out, and otherwise destroyed–until that point. For some reason, one I still do not understand, my partner and I had a complete loss of focus and ability from that point on (don’t tell my partner, but I believe my culpability was minimal). Astoundingly, we found a way to give the match away, despite our having at least three match points, and we lost! We lost. Yes, we lost. I am over it though. Mostly. O.K. that is a lie. Sorry.

The sadder reality amidst the loss, as painful as it was (is), comes from the fact that I completely lost my cool on the court in the aftermath of that failure. In front of more than a few onlookers who know me well and more who did not, I went haywire. I threw my racquet, my shirt, my armband, and my temper. I was not a happy camper. After my little tirade (unlike any I had thrown since my college days or maybe even junior days) I was so embarrassed that I went straight to the showers and sat in the locker room for about 45 minutes and did not show my face until my next match.

I share this little story to point to the reality that we all remain in a state of waiting for the ultimate cure to our ills. The stain of sin remains in us, and we hunger for the day when it will be totally removed. The difficult reality is that we all fight against, war against, those drives within us which seek to tear us apart. Thankfully, as an adult, I have had very few moments like that on the court despite my will to win. Yet, as this little meltdown proved, I still await total freedom from dark desires which, left unchecked, would consume me. The virus of sin lingers beneath what are typically calm waters.

Each of us, if honest, are aware that we are works in progress awaiting the day when we will be free from this war against the flesh. Sin, while not always appearing grotesque in form, is within us. In reality, sin is anything which is in opposition to God’s dreams for us. A wrong relationship, an improper use of the tongue, rage, bitterness, sexual abuse, lust, a flirtatious spirit, the love of money, selfishness, egotistical pursuits, life restricting fear, …the list is seemingly endless. What we must realize is that the potential destructive ability of the sin within us must be dealt with. Ignored, the embers become a raging fire, the cough becomes a body-decaying illness. While we await the ultimate cure, life with God in eternity, we must apply the cure provided in Christ for forgiveness, healing, corrected thinking, and the ability to live above and beyond the stain of sin. In Christ, we have the ability to live with a high level of immunity from the habits which seek to consume our very lives. The One all of humanity has awaited has come, and we celebrate His Advent during this season. Just as hope arrived on the wings of a butterfly amidst the devastation of ground zero in Legend, our hope has arrived in the person and work of Jesus, born under a quiet sky in the most unexpected of places. Hope has taken flight from the heavens and landed upon our planet bringing healing and renewal in the form a baby lying in a manger. Who would have thunk it?
It is this babe in a manger who enables us to see our failing properly. It is the life of this little One who demonstrates what life should look like. The world awaited the kind of life revealed in Jesus, and His appearance has proven to be the most glorious demonstration of true living the world has ever known. The direction of our own lives is set straight as we look upon His life and as we cry out for that life to be placed within us. The one figure in all of history who was completely immune (fully human, fully God, and without sin) to the virulent strain of sin came that we might take Him in as our cure. His life becomes our life, His example our example, His hope our hope. In living within His power we overcome the darkness around us and His light illumines our hearts. Even the dark recesses of our own hearts can be cured by the brilliance of this light.

Our waiting is over, Christ has come! Freedom from the illnesses of our souls is offered to us. As we come to Him, walking out of the darkness and into the light, we find the view so much more fulfilling. Living in the afterglow of Christmas, on a daily basis, enables us to wait hopefully for that day when we shall live in eternity completely free from the strain of sin so prevalent in our world today. This is the “already, not yet” theology which thinkers have pondered for many years. We already have a glorious hope revealed in the One who has already come. He offers life and healing. And yet, in our eternal future with Him, we can look forward to a day when all of the imperfections are gone and we will be all that we were meant to be. This is a hope which gives us cause to wait (in the sense of living vibrantly) patiently and with great purpose and joy.

During this Advent season, let us set our gaze upon the life of the One who cures. He is where we find ourselves, the true self God intended for us to be. His life, and mode of living, is what we are to aim for, and is what we seek to emulate. Let us live as those already cured, pointing others to The Cure. Many are waiting for us to lead the way.

Tomorrow–suiting up to be a legend

Waiting,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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17. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

Have you ever thought about what it takes to be a legend? Legends are big, storied, heroic, inspiring, captivating, compelling, interesting, world-changing, and much more. Who, really, would not like to go down in history having attained “legendary” status?

In his recent movie, Legend, Will Smith plays the role of a scientist/virologist attempting to save the world. Surprisingly, this sci-fi thriller (the fourth in a line of productions based on a popular book from the 1950s) has a number of redeeming messages, and a very cool plot. The story draws out the horrifying implications of a virulent cure for cancer gone all too wrong. What initially appears as the cure for cancer, in the end, turns out to be a species altering virus which turns humans into beastly vampire-like carnivores who are taking over the world and destroying it as they go.

This week we are going to look at the implications of “going wrong” and “getting it right” as it relates to living the life God offers us. Along the way, we will see the critical importance of putting on the character of Christ as we attempt to live at peace within ourselves and as we seek to impact the world around us. The journey, I hope, will prove two things. First, when we get it wrong, we leave a legacy. Second, when we get it right, we leave a legacy. I will often reference the movie, Legend, in an attempt to highlight some critical themes we must be aware of if our lives are to be “legendary” in the truest sense of the word.

Legend Making

What we find central to the plot in Legend, and in fact central to the plot of human existence, is that things we thought would be good for us often turn out to be, most horribly, all wrong for everyone. In the movie, which opens with a hopeful scene in which a famous scientist is being interviewed on the evening news telling of the recently established cure for cancer, we eventually find the dark reality of the promise–all hell breaks loose, literally. The same was true in the garden of Eden where Adam and Eve were promised a “cure” for their God imposed restriction from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan’s lie, a false cure, turned on them. Convinced that life on the other side of that fruit, that knowledge, would be enlightening, they took the bait, and found a world of destruction awaiting them. History records this event as “The Fall”.

This image of “falling” is vividly portrayed in Legend as we see a world, once teaming with life and beauty, descending into increasing darkness. In a world where the hope for goodness and beauty has been quenched, a thirst for blood, and an addiction to ravenous behavior settles in. As it is true in Legend, so it was for Adam and Eve, and it remains so for us. Void of a hope for goodness, and amidst an abandonment of the Golden Rule, what are we left with?

As a society, and as individuals, our souls become darkened and doomed by such all-consuming thirsts. The craving for the desires of our contaminated flesh only leave us more hungry for that which entraps us in ever-increasing blackness. Many a king, preacher, husband, and wife can attest to such in the aftermath of a marriage or office undone amidst the scandal of infidelity and corruption. Many and addict can tell of the soul-consuming affects of looking to that first taste of a false “cure” for the depth of pain they found themselves in. Looking for a few moments of ease and forgetfulness, the proposed cure, after all, turned out to be the door to a life of pain and darkness beyond anything they could have imagined.

Howard Hughes, as history tells us, died a legendary death. After a life of money making, power groping, sex craving, lust appeasement, and hedonistic pursuits, he died miserable, alone, mad, and in utter despair. The fall, once completed, has this affect on each of us. Falling prey to pursuits that are in conflict with God’s dreams for us leaves us without a purpose and hope for the journey ahead.

Thinking that we can find ourselves without the direction of God in our life exposes us to the soul-consuming darkness which leads to our fall and misery. Once this virus of the soul is full-blown it results in misery for the feelings, confusion for the mind, and corruption of the will. When that takes place the nature of our legend making is secured. Like Hughes, Monroe, and so many others, aside from God’s cure, we make legendary messes of our lives. In this state of “falleness” we find relationships deteriorating, energy being depleted, emotions convoluted, feelings warped, and our thinking debased.

O.k., that is the depressing bad news about life apart from God. The good news is that there is indeed a cure. Fundamentally, as in the movie and also in life, the cure is in the blood. We, like Will Smith, can experiment with many a false cure only to be ultimately disappointed. Eventually, if we are listening to the whispers of God brought into our lives, we are brought to the hopeful reality that THE CURE is found in the blood (life, death, and resurrection of Christ) of one man, The Man. As we will see throughout this week, our lives are cured of many ills when we come to the Great Physician for healing. Amidst the despair of our lives and the wreckage of our souls, we find, by stepping into the light of God’s truth, that a transformation can take place. Once the cure is applied we are given a new opportunity to live like we are cured and we are able to bring the cure to others.

Walled in by a life of practices contrary to the principles of God it is hard to see where the light is dawning. Afraid to even consider what healing might look like, we settle for a fortressed existence closed off from the possibility that new life is waiting to spring forth from the rubble around us. Yet, God is whispering to us in the darkness. Can you hear Him? His call to you is simple, but profoundly life-altering, “Come into the light.” In this Light, the darkness is vanquished, and life takes wings. Are you ready for a cure? The Cure? Perhaps, your time has come.

Hear His voice this week, walk in the Cure,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

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14. December 2007 by BruceSmith.

Bloggers,

You are here, on Friday, as usual, fully expecting a “Dear Bruce” letter and response, no doubt. Well, this edition is just a bit different, but equally helpful in a YOU focused sort of way! Today, Optimuslife.org is giving YOU the chance to help many others. But first, the brief letter that inspired this little change in approach today.

“Dear Bruce, I have followed your writings for some time and have been loving the new blog. I want you to know that I look forward to the blog everyday and feel like I have missed something if I skip a day. I would like to know how I can support and further the work you are doing, so, please, tell me what I can do to help Optimuslife.org”.

So, folks, there you go! A Dear Bruce letter that opens the door for you to play a major role in the work we are doing. Now here is the answer, and here is the OPPORTUNITY!

Reader, Blogger, Supporters,

We at Optimuslife.org are committed to championing God’s call for people to embrace life to the full (Jn 10:10). As the vision grows and expands, and as we have the thrill of carrying out the mission we believe God has placed in our hearts, we fully expect God to do amazing things in the hearts of many.

Our aim in the coming year is to develop a number of venues by which many more may have access to Optimuslife.org and its resources. Below are a few of the things we hope to develop:

* A fully-functioning Life Coaching/Life Counseling venue (to give people access to a fee based, real-life, real-time coaching/mentoring/counseling setting.

*A “story page” on Optimuslife.org that will showcase amazing stories (audio, written, and video) of life transformation that will inspire people to thirst for the life God is calling them to live.

*A scholarship program for young adults who exhibit excellence and leadership potential. We seek to build into and build up those young adults who thirst to live BIG lives for God and who may need a little boost along the way.

*Optimuslife seminars. Our aim is to create a two or three day venue that will provide inspirational teaching and training for individuals seeking to develop into fully devoted followers of Christ. We aim to reach and equip people to pursue His life with a passion for excellence and integrity.

* We hope to see Bruce’s new book published and offered widely.

* We aim to produce/publish pamphlets, small books which are inspirational, affordable and life changing. Ideally these would inspire existing Christians and draw those not yet convinced to consider what Life to the Full looks like.

Those are but a few of the initiatives we aim to see fulfilled in the coming year. Obviously, we cannot begin to carry out these goals without the generosity of many of you. We desperately need those who believe in what we are doing to take a leap in our direction and offer a financial gift. As we are just getting underway in the last 45 days or so, we are already seeing God bless us. The stats show that up to 600 people at a time are visiting the blog site, with more viewing Optimuslife.org. I am told that these are very strong numbers for a start up this young.

We are just beginning, are in need of a major capital infusion, and we need your gift during this time of year-end giving. Our prayer is that years from now, we will be able to look back and view these humble beginnings as a precious moment in our history.

Please, today, as you are going about your shopping and giving, take time out to give to Optimus Life. We really do need you, and your gift will be used to carry out the visions we have set forth. Your gift could very well change the world for one or more individuals, it could actually change the world, period. As people are changed, families are changed. As families are changed, communities are changed. As communities are changed, nations change. And on it goes.

As a simple “Thank you” for any gift of $50.00 or more Optimus Life will send you a signed copy of Bruce’s first book, Soul Storm: finding God amidst disaster.

However you are led, please, send a gift today to the following address:

Optimus Life

4 whippoorwill

Covington, La 70433

One more way you can help! Please, spread the word about optimuslife.org, and point people to the daily blog at blog.optimuschoice.com.

Grace and Peace during the holiday and in the year to come,

Bruce Smith (founder)

Optimuslife.org

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