You are currently browsing the Bruce Smith weblog archives for August, 2009.
27. August 2009 by BruceSmith.
FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, TO DIE IS GAIN
The apostle Paul penned those words. It seems the huge figure of Christendom, the writer of the majority of the New Testament, the one who was exceedingly well educated, a former hater of Christ followers, had a major change of heart, mind, and soul. His “conversion” is emblematic of what it means to be transformed by the Gospel. More directly, Paul’s transformation, and his writing are the model for what it means and what it looks like to have truly been made new by God.
My writing on this point is motivated by a number of things. First off, it appears, if the polling stats are correct (George Barna and others), that much of what people in churches today believe is at odds with Paul’s model of Christianity. Many hold beliefs not at all different from that of secular society. Core beliefs of faith such as the divinity of Christ, the virgin birth, the centrality of the cross for salvation, Jesus as the only way to God, the bible as the rule of faith and living, and many more, are held in question by professed “Christians”.
The issue at hand could not be more critical in an age where the cry of the day is for an embrace of anything and everything save absolute truth. Paul, an educated man, schooled in thought, philosophy, speech, and religion, upon meeting God in real terms, had his entire life utterly redrawn. He went from being a murderer of Gods people to becoming one of the giants of biblical history. He captures his transformation and the significance of it in what could be considered his life motto, “For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain”.
But what does this mean, and how does it relate to Christianity today and to the church in the modern world? Essentially it calls us to question the depth and reality of our faith, and the reality of our transformation. Again, if the stats are true, it would appear that many who fill the pews and many who attach the name “Christian” to themselves, have merely added church or some form of the gospel to their lives. This is exactly what Paul stood against.
Paul’s life motto was a denunciation of living life like everyone else and adding the gospel to it. We do not get to pick and choose what we believe, what we are comfortable with, what is truly biblical reality. That has been given to us by God. The reality of the gospel is utterly transformative. It redraws the lines around every breath we take and every move we make. Not in an oppressive and stifling way, rather, in a way that opens up an entirely new vista of living. You cannot miss this if you read Paul’s writings. Here we find the most real, alive, sober, ecstatic, and vibrant account of Godliness we can find. While “putting to death” the temptations of the flesh (lust, greed, selfishness, drunkenness, profanity, gossip…), and “fighting the good fight”, Paul’s life was defined by his utter joy to have been made new and to suffer for the sake of the gospel.
“For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”, ought to be the refrain of each of our lives. It is the cry of anyone who has understood that every human interaction, thought, deed, expression, response, action, desire, feeling, movement and belief is ripe with the potential of being an expression of the reality of God alive in us. If this is not a motto we can identify with, we need give some sober thought to the true nature of the gospel’s effect upon us. Are we transformed? Or have we added something to our secular lives for comfort or some other reason? Have we brought God to us on our terms? Or has he truly captured our hearts, minds, and souls? This is the single most important question for any of us.
Does your awareness of God in you impact the way you deal with the barista at Starbucks, the waiter that makes a mistake at lunch, the co-worker that troubles you, your children when they are at their worst, your spouse or lover when your mood is not so great? Does the reality of the gospel in your life ignite you with enough zeal and joy that you thrive in doing good even when it will not benefit you and when it may even challenge your circumstances? Paul was imprisoned, beaten, and left for dead as a direct result of his faith, again and again. And yet, for him, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain”. Does the thought of doing God’s will no matter what in this life spur you on? Does the thought of being done with this broken world and being face to face with Christ place a hunger in your soul for that ultimate reality? Paul was thrilled to be here doing God’s work, but more hungry to be done and to moving on to a better place.
The call of Paul’s life and writing is a reminder for us that the gospel has untold power to totally revolutionize our lives. It is a call to consider how we are living our lives and who we are living for. If its about us, we have missed the point. If we have not recognized, along with Paul, our utter depravity and need of God, we have not understood the entire point of the cross or the hope found in this Gospel. As we come to know Paul’s life motto and take it as our own, life unfolds with more power, poise, grace, and joy than we could ever imagine.
The Gospel, the Good News, literally, transforms our beliefs and how we arrive at them. It transforms our daily movement and desires. It imbues every breath we take. When transformed by God, made new by the living Christ, we move from death unto life, and newness is the characteristic of our lives. Paul also wrote, “Behold, all things have become new.” Is your life joyfully “new”? Different? If not, maybe you have merely added something of your own choosing. Whatever that is, its not the true Gospel. We do not add God to our activities. He defines us. That is the joyful, life-giving, and soul-altering reality of the Good News. That is life. The old has gone (and needed to go) and the new has come (thank goodness, thank God). For me, to live is Christ…and to die is ultimate gain.
God make this our life’s reality. Amen.
Bruce Smith
soulstormsite.com
optimuslife.org
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19. August 2009 by BruceSmith.
A LOVE WORTH HAVING
Dear Bruce,
I have a relationship question. I am “middle-aged”, now single, have been in an out of relationships too many times, and am searching for something real, lasting, and fulfilling. I have tried to be so many different things in so many different relationships that I am not sure who I am or who I am supposed to be. I have also looked for so many different things in various men that I am not sure what I am to be looking for in a man anymore. I am tired of the dating scene, its shallow and selfish pursuits, and I want a family, a true family more than anything. How do I find it?
Thanks for your help,
Sally
Sally,
Thank you for being so open and honest about your search. Because we live in a culture where too many are looking for all the wrong things it can be hard to see through the fog and find meaningful relationships. As a single dad of three myself, and also “middle aged”, I can relate to your desires and questions. Because I believe the family is the center of God’s plan for us, I am going to take some time to answer your question.
I think the answer is simple, but not easy. First of all, we have to be willing to ask ourselves, “Am I the kind of person who, by virtue of who I am and what I pursue, that would attract the kind of mate that would be a loving, mature, and lasting partner?” It begins with me, in other words. Second, we have to know what that partner should look like from an internal perspective. That is to say, we need to know what kind of person is best set up for meaningful, rich, deep, nurturing love. There are characteristics which lend themselves to relational fulfillment. The problem is, too few of us strive to be that kind of person. And far to few of us look for relationships with those kinds of people.
So, let me point you to a passage in the Bible, usually referenced as a character survey for women, but which in reality, is a passage filled with wisdom for both men and women. Its Proverbs 31, and is usually referred to as the passage which describes the Woman of Noble Character or the Woman of Godly Character or the Woman Who Fears the Lord.
Proverbs 31, which no doubt, describes a truly beautiful and desirable woman, actually points to the kind of manhood which is ideal as well. In fact, the part of the proverb which is most often ignored (the first 9 verses) is character building wisdom for a man. The proverb, which is self described as an oracle, the words of King Lemuel, taught to him by his mother, is a profound call to wisdom for both men and women when it comes to relationships and what we are to seek out.
This mother, whose goal it was to see her son married and happy, communicates values to her son which are still exceedingly relevant today. First off, she begins with a question that anyone who has teenagers will be familiar with, “What are you doing?!!!”
Its a question of perplexed frustration. The son has missed it, and now she is going to set him straight on what it means to be a man and what he should be looking for in a woman. She is telling her son, “You are an immature boy, looking for all the wrong kind of women. Stop already! If you want to be happy and fulfilled, listen up! I am going to tell you who you need to be and what kind of woman you should be looking for.”
First off she tells her son not to give his strength to women or his ways to women who destroy kings. In the jargon of our day she is saying stop jumping in and out of bed with everyone you meet. You, like many a man, many a politician, and so many others, are going to be ruined by your reckless fun. She is telling her son to keep his pants on. Sexual promiscuity leads to nothing but empty, confused, and broken relationships. Problems galore, a lack of trust and trustworthiness, and internal conflicts are the reward.
She then goes on to tell her son, if he is to be a man worthy of relationships then he must have a focus on the needs of others. “Get over yourself!”, she is telling him. One of the marks of manhood is compassion for others, and a generous spirit toward other human beings. Contrary to the messages of our day, otherness is a virtue desirable in a man. The man who only wants to dominate, control, win at all costs, and promote himself, is nothing more than an overgrown toddler. Real men, men worth pursuing, are full of love, devotion, caring, gentleness, and truth. “Be a man!”, the wise mother is telling her son. Fight for the lives of the downtrodden, give yourself and your treasure to lift others up, do good, pursue righteousness, help the poor, care for the widow, use your position and speak up for the needy.
This is a wise mother. She knows that if her boy will be this kind of man, then his chances of attracting the wife of noble character will increase exponentially. With that in mind, she turns her attention to the kind of woman her son should desire.
Verses 10–31 of Proverbs 31 do indeed offer a wonderful picture of the most desirable of women. Honestly, I don’t know a sincere and Godly man who, if he was who God was calling him to me, would not hunger and thirst for this kind of woman. The woman described by this loving mother is one that every man should look for and invest himself in. Let’s take a look at her.
First off, mom says, “There are very few of these women out there, son. You are going to have to take your time, and look far and wide.” Verse one reads, “An excellent wife who can find?” Sobering, and true. There are very few of these, as there are too few real men. Her point is clear, a women worth marrying will take time and effort to find, and a man must be determined, patient, and resolute. Women, you must recognize how precious you will become as a person and as a desirable mate as you commit yourself to the Proverbs 31 model. In fact, mom goes on to tell her son just this. “She is far more precious than jewels”.
This mom, who hungers for her son to know lasting love, is telling him just how unique a Godly woman is. She is of inestimable worth. Nothing compares.
“You won’t find her, son, in the local party house, the bar scene, the strip club, and the other places you have been looking. She is not the women you see on TV, she is not the fantasy you see on the internet. Those women are a dime a dozen. This woman, the woman worth having is giving herself to other things while the rest are just following the crowd. Like a treasure hunter searching for fine jewels, you must seek her out in the right places.”
So, from here the wise mother goes on to describe the wife worth having for her son. Notice, first off, however, that she begins with the foundation of trust. After telling her son that few of these women exist, and after raising the bar on her high value, her first statement is this, “The heart of her husband trusts in her”. Wow.
Men, do you want a life of depth, contentment, and meaning when it comes to relationships? Find the woman, the rare woman, who will fill you with trust. When you find her, do the same for her. Women, do you want to live in the kind of lasting and passionate love most people only dream of? Then build yourself into the woman of God described here, and build a foundation of trust beneath your man. You don’t get there by allowing relational lines to be blurred. You don’t get there allowing flirting any room in your life. Your love, commitment and intentions must be honest and clear.
The next few verses describe this noble wife’s commitment to her family. She rises early to care for her family. She does her part to make sure the family knows that they are her priority. She works to insure that her first aim is the contentment of those around her, and she takes joy in the process of providing this kind of dedication to her family. Her household is the place of her deepest longing.
We are also told in the following verses that she uses her mind and her resources wisely. Her time is used for good, her money for accomplishing the goals of the family, and she longs to meet the needs of others. This is a picture of a women who is out from in front of the TV and active in the lives her family, of others and her community. She is expanding her intellect, her business and relational acumen, and she is creative and artistic. She is living life to the full and doing it in the context of family life and community building. She is caring for the poor and needy like the man of character. Can you imagine the power of a man and woman on the same page with these things?
We are told also that she pays attention to her appearance. She, apparently, knows how to select fine garments, and she and her family are looking pretty dapper by biblical world standards. She has taste, and she takes care of her body and appearance. But beyond that, verse 25 suggests that her real clothing is “strength and dignity”. She apparently dresses with an eye toward beauty, but also modesty and class. She is viewed as that rare unique woman who just gets it in the right balance. Her beauty is there, but she is not calling people, by her presentation, to merely view her physically.
Verse 25 also suggests she is a woman not overcome by worry, “She laughs at things to come”. This is the picture of a woman who trusts that the future is in God’s hands. She is a model of trusting faith. Verse 26 suggests she speaks with wisdom, and kindness is the defining virtue of her speech. She is a woman whose manner and speech is restrained, and void of useless verbage. She is a picture of and a mouthpiece of grace and dignity. Her tongue is used to build up and to enrich the lives of others. She is not coarse or harsh. Grace in all things.
What is the payoff for such a life? The wise mother, again, answers the question for her son in verse 28, “Her children rise up and called her blessed”. A woman who lives this way will draw attention, the attention of onlookers, and the inspired attention of her children. Again, she is rare, too rare, and so we all take note of her. Moreover, the mom suggests to her son, “Her husband also, he praises her”. Men, I will tell you, real men, Godly men, are undone by this kind of woman. She is irresistible in the right context. She cannot be ignored. She will be pursued, and by the right man, in the right way. Husbands will long for their wives who live this way.
Sally, the goal for each of us, men and women, is to be the person He has called us to be. We are not perfect, and we certainly will not attain all of this in every situation all the time. But the tone of our lives and our aim shines through in all we do and say. If our passion is to be these things described in Proverbs 31 then we are far more likely to draw the kind of person to ourselves that will enable us to experience the kind of married life God had in mind from the beginning.
The extent to which we live in this reality will largely determine the kind of relational life we have. We live in a culture which tells us to look a certain way, dress a certain way, give ourselves freely, make it about us, and live for the moment. The wise mother instructs her children and all of us to live for a higher calling.
There are many fish in the sea, as has been said. There are many physically attractive or otherwise attractive potential partners out there. However, beauty fades and charm is deceitful as verse 30 suggests. “…but a woman who loves and pursues the Lord is to be praised (and sought)”. This is the message of this remarkable mom for her son in Proverbs 31. The son is to long to be a real man, and he is to search for that rare and surpassingly beautiful woman of God if he is to experience true relational fulfillment.
Sally, if you want all you seem to want, you need to look no further than Proverbs 31 for a roadmap. Look for the man who is more than an overgrown toddler, and be the woman worth pursuing. I am betting, in so doing, you will find a love for the ages.
Bruce Smith
optimuslife.org
soulstormsite.com
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11. August 2009 by BruceSmith.
A Wider Place
I have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit this past summer. Truthfully, it was the travel summer of a lifetime. I was able to view places I have only dreamed of for many years. I was afforded the opportunity to watch Wimbledon first hand, something I had dreamed about for thirty years. After days of great tennis and seeing many tremendous matches I had the pleasure of seeing my experience widen further and watched the greatest player in the history of tennis play one of the most amazing finals in tennis history at Wimbledon. I was right there at Center Court…and just behind and to the right of the Friends box! Wow, what a week, what a final.
Then, as if that was not enough, I was afforded the opportunity to travel through parts of Italy. How truly amazing it was, the architecture, the art, the food, the scenery…truly “other worldly”. Around every turn there was another photo opp, another beautiful sight. By the end of the trip I truly had “experience overload”. Don’t get me wrong, I did not want it to end, but it was so overwhelming good that it was nearly exhausting. Each time I experienced something wonderful, and thinking it could not get any better, the next turn would widen my view, enlarge my experience even more. And having the blessing of sharing it all with a woman I care so much about was just indescribable. Watching her process the sights of a land long on her dream list was joyous. What a gift.
I have friends that traveled this summer as well, and many of them have shared their photos via facebook and other venues. Two friends, on separate trips, took in the wonders of Alaska. I am not a ship guy, so to speak, and have to deal with the reality of motion sickness even when riding in the back of a vehicle, but looking at the photos my friends took of the Alaskan tundra makes me hunger for such a trip. Some day I hope to board a cruise ship, motion sickness and all, and take a similar trip to view the amazing wide open spaces of that magically frozen part of the world. What was so striking about all of the photos was indeed the sheer vastness, the openness of that place. It was endless beauty as far as the eye could see.
I had these travel experiences on the backdrop of my mind as I came to Psalm 119 recently. I have read Psalm 119 before, and it has always intrigued me. It is the longest chapter in the entire bible and its sole focus is on the vastness, the beauty, the splendor of God’s truth. Each verse speaks of the riches of God’s laws.
What struck me as refreshing, with my travel experiences on the backdrop of my mind, as I read Psalm 119 this time, were the following verses (44-48):
I will keep your law continually;
forever and ever,
and I shall walk in a wide place,
for I have sought your precepts.
I will speak of your testimonies
before kings
and shall not be put to shame,
for I find my delight in your
commandments,
which I love.
In a culture where the instructions of God are commonly devalued or even mocked, it is encouraging to know that those who have walked intimately with God, even those who have walked with Him in the courts of kings and power brokers, have experienced a delight that far exceeds anything else they know. What the writer of this Psalm is proclaiming is that the truth of God is our foremost source of delight in this life. Contrary to the message of our culture, it is the truth of God which leads us to wide open, expansive, and freeing places. The view which casts genuine Christ followers as narrow, humdrum, and boring, is contrary to the testimony of scripture and contrary to the experience of those who know God intimately.
The walk of faith is one which leads us through many new vistas. Around every turn, when walking with Christ, the truth illuminates our paths and allows us to see things we never could see without the light of God in our lives. The backdrop for a life well lived is the truth of God revealed in the scriptures. Indeed, as the Psalmist proclaims, we walk in wide and delightful places when we choose to follow Christ. Generosity over greed, truth over falsehood, love over hate, compassion over neglect, purpose over apathy, faithfulness over broken trust, and hope over defeat. The precepts of God shine like a spotlight upon the darkened seas of our time, pointing the way home for those who would follow. The grace of God stands as a mountain of hope against the landscape of moral depravity and human failure.
The British writer G.K. Chesterton had it right when he penned the following words, speaking of the truth of God and what it offers to those who embrace it:
This is the thrilling romance of Orthodoxy (truth). People have fallen into a foolish habit of speaking of orthodoxy as something heavy, humdrum, and safe. There was never anything so perilous or so exciting as orthodoxy. It is sanity: and to be sane is more dramatic than to be mad (with the passions of this world). Orthodoxy is the equilibrium of a man behind madly rushing horses, seeming to stoop this way and to sway that, yet in every attitude having the grace of statuary and the accuracy of arithmetic.
It is true. The truths of God are more exciting, breathtaking, and expansive than any experience man has ever known. His truth sets the soul awake for the first time, fully. His precepts lead us to heights never seen or known. His guidance is there that we might have the most glorious adventure we have ever known.
There is no height, nor depth, that compares to the matchless grace of God. He is our source, He leads us to wide opens spaces of the soul. May we seek Him and find Him, all He proclaims Himself to be. His truth is the trip you have always longed for. He is your deepest need, greatest hope, and most complete dream. The life you always longed for begins in a relationship with Him. The plan unfolds as you walk in His ways, and leave the confining boundaries of your own desires for your life. His view for you is wider than you could ever imagine, and His dreams for you bigger than any you ever had.
Bruce Smith
optimuslife.org
soulstormsite.com
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