"Be the Man!" Week 16

Grace and mercy work in harmony, but they are not identical.  Grace addresses and removes our guilt before a holy God.  Mercy addresses our misery and suffering, evoked from a loving Father who cares.  There may be some subtle theological nuances that are slighted by these definitions, but these distinctions give us some practical footholds.  Mercy is that welling up of compassionate concern, that urge to reach out, to fix something broken, to bandage a wound.  We learn mercy from our Father, and from His Son, who unquenchably move toward our miseries.  The Father never practiced kingship from a regal distance, but as creator and sustainer chose to involve himself in real, scabby, infected, miserable history.  The Son became acquainted with the immeasurable grief and multitudinous diseases of real people.  He touched, He wept, and He healed.  All because of mercy; that spontaneous, reaching, touching, and remedial love.  It’s love that doesn’t stay inside, but displays its heart for the wounded, the oppressed, and even the foolish.  Our misery evokes His mercy.  How close and connected is our Savior!  How poignant and personal is His mercy.  And now mercy like His is to echo into our time and space through us, his disciples.  Do I allow the miseries I see, however inherited and deserved, to evoke true mercy as a first response from my heart?

"Be the Man!" Week 15

It was a dark, blustery and slushy night as I trudged toward the entrance of the supermarket.  After a late meeting I was stopping to pick up a few items my wife had requested.  Suddenly a man flew out of the shadows, bursting past me in a full sprint.  Just as he went by my shoulder, a woman screamed: “He’s got my purse!”   My reflex bypassed my rational mind and the next thing I knew I was into my Roy-Rogers-to-the-Rescue chase of the bad guy.  We ran around the corner, and I swear I was gaining on him, but it did cross my mind: “What do I do if I actually catch him.”  A yell escaped from my heaving lungs: “Drop it!”  The purse flew over his shoulder and skidded up to the curb of a darkened gas pump. I stopped to pick it up, but not before shouting in my biggest voice what would happen to this miscreant should he ever attempt this crime again.  The purse was returned to its grateful owner.  Milk and eggs were bought for breakfast.  A tiny but concrete bit of justice was applied to a sick planet.  How I wish justice was always that simple to spot, or that quick to administer.  But often it is not.  Usually the need for justice lies under the murky sludge of economic systems, hidden legal trip wires, and slippery semantics.  Getting justice is normally a long slog of inglorious, expensive sacrifice.  Sometimes we ourselves are the victims, left feeling powerless to respond to unfairness and injustice.  It has always been so.  That is why God requires his men to “act justly,” as a consistent character trait; to overcome evil with good.  Am I—are you—ready to meet this challenge in this time of history?

"Be the Man!" Week 14

George Jenkins, Sampson Davi,s and Rameck Hunt call themselves “The Three Doctors.”  They are all products of broken homes from Newark’s inner city.  Their fathers were mostly absent.  Their trajectory could have easily been predicted by any sociologist or social worker, except for one remarkable pledge.  As high school seniors they made a pact with each other to go to college and then on to medical school.  Each accomplished his mission, but something still ate at their souls.  They missed their dads.  They were hurt by their dads’ absence and wounded by some of their actions in the past.  But instead of seething in bitterness or burying painful memories, each of these young African Americans decided as a son to bridge the gap with their fathers.  Though the results were less than perfect, as they document in their book The Bond, the effort has reverberated with the promise God gave to all children who honor their parents:  “...that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:3)  Even stumbling upon this life-giving truth—perhaps not even realizing it was from the Bible-- transformed the lives of these young men.  How much more would be the impact of deliberately choosing to honor one’s parents in conscious obedience of the fifth commandment.  Long life, vitality, and safe habitation are the powerful incentives that induce this honor toward parents.  We ignore it to our peril, but we can practice it for our blessing! Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 13

I bow the knee to the Geek Squad. They flipped my switch from “no” to “go.” They rescued the hopeless and gave new life! After many unsanctified frustrations and fulminations with my new desktop computer that was not linking with the internet, talking to my laptop, or printing, I made the call. A very few minutes after arriving a respectful, be-speckled twenty-something had me up and running. He never broke a sweat, and gave no hint of condescension for my lack of computer savvy. The transformation in both my computer and my attitude was nearly miraculous. It was money well spent (ask my wife). This was yet another teachable moment for problem-solving, self-sufficient, I-can-figure-this-out me. How many times have I expended prodigious but hapless energy trying to figure it out, measure up, get it done, or make it work? Then, in utter frustration and defeat I ask someone with expertise for help, and they make the impossible look like child’s play. Lesson learned. Again. Humility really is a grace that gives in all directions, both to the humble who ask, and to the strong who help. Everyone wins and the humble learn. It’s the difference between night and day.
Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 12

“A tool’s got to work where the work’s being done!” This was my Dad’s proclamation when I questioned him about drawing a line the length of a sheet of plywood using his Parker ballpoint pen. He had just a few minutes’ time between the office and dinner to work on the trailer he was building. Rolling up his sleeves and taking off his tie, he then grabbed for the only marking tool he could find; his pen. From one perspective this would seem an unwise deployment of this particular implement. Technically, it was designed for use on paper, in the office, not for the dusty environment of the garage and the rigors of carpentry. However, from another angle, because the need was urgent, and nothing else was available, the pen could serve the purpose. Surprisingly, it worked, and the scene was repeated many times! This calls to mind how often I have questioned the Father’s deployment of me in a similar situation.  Lord, why don’t you wait until you have a better tool? Can’t you send someone with more wisdom, training or time? What am I doing here when I feel so outgunned and overwhelmed by the challenge? Why don’t we wait until we are ready, all the proper tools are gathered, and all the conditions are right before we tackle this problem. But, time after time He seems to be saying: “You are here, and I need you now: work where the work’s being done. And, surprisingly, under that pressing urgency, a capacity and endurance is discovered that I never knew existed. He can use His tools wherever, and whenever, they are needed! The question is: am I willing to be deployed according to His purposes, not just my preconceptions?
Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 11

Pondering God’s forgiveness got me thinking about tankless water heaters. Hang with me on this. Tankless water heaters offer instant, on-demand hot water where and when it is needed.  As appliances they are marvels of efficiency.  Many believers, I fear, think God’s gracious forgiveness works the same way: it’s on-demand, and newly heated for each application. The problem this image creates is that we feel we are imposing on God’s patience and goodness when we confess our sin. We don’t want to bother him with yet another call for his grace, so we delay, waiting for a more legitimate use of his forgiving warmth. This causes us to try to manage our sin and call upon God’s grace only when we really, really need it. Instead, we ought to think of God’s forgiveness as a standing reservoir of pre-heated grace, purchased by Jesus Christ through his work on the cross, ready to flow into our lives. We call for this grace when we feel convicted of sin, not worrying that He is inconvenienced or surprised, or that some new work needs to be initiated. He has already stored up all the grace, forgiveness and restoration we will ever need, and graciously waits for us to agree with Him that it is needed here and now. 

Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 10

“Attention management” is a way of prolonging a comfortable view of self and one’s world by deliberately making choices about where to direct your attention. This is not the same as the positive control of attention where I choose to polish the upcoming presentation for tomorrow’s board meeting instead of channel surfing until 1am. No, this kind of attention management is in cahoots with self-deception. It aids and abets the bias, or the self-concept, or the worldview I have acquired and that works for me by allowing only a narrow field of data into my consideration. Attention management screens out disturbing or upsetting realities so that I can pursue the course of my choosing without dissonance or contradiction. It’s not a love and quest for truth, but an infatuation with comfort. It is peace at any price. Stark, unvarnished truth might upset what I would like to believe. Better not to think too deeply about it, or consider its implications!

Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 9

The website http://www.despair.com/ drips with cynicism and dark humor. It takes great words like “motivation,” “perseverance,” and “team” and projects them to their most Dilbert-like, distorted caricature. The “Mistakes” poster has this caption: “It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.” Tragically, that may be true of Old Testament miscreant Absalom. In many ways ignored, isolated and wounded by his father David, Absalom finally took his identity and legacy into his own hands. He decided his life really was about him, and him alone. He awarded himself a self-produced trophy, but it proved to be his gravestone. He proved Jesus’ words true: if you want to save your own life, you will lose it. It is only in giving it away that you find it. Poor Absalom! Offended, wounded, ignored, he then became vengeful, scheming and proud. His pillar of fame became his epitaph of futility. (2 Samuel 13-18)
Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 8

Swing thoughts: A wide take-away. Pausing at the top. Keeping your head still. Hitting the sweet spot. Staying down on the ball.

Every golfer is both helped and bedeviled by hundreds of swing thoughts. The paradox is that the more you concentrate on each component of your swing the less likely you are to actually hit the ball! That’s why golf is so mental. Success in golf, we learn, is indirect. We practice the specifics over and over so that we can forget about them and just concentrate on hitting the ball. Life with God is somewhat like this. We want to go deeper, to be more effective, to improve our discipleship. But laboring at a detailed list of improvements does not yield the life and power we so desire. It is only when we look away from all these pieces and concentrate on the object of our desire that we experience the joy and freedom called new life. 

Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 7

My wife and I once travelled to Vienna, Austria as the first of several stops in Europe. Upon arriving we were to find a person we had never met, and go with them to their home to have dinner and spend the night. Then, in the very early morning, they would take us back across the city to the airport so that we could resume our travels. We were jet-lagged when we arrived, had little energy for conversation, went to bed early, and dragged ourselves to breakfast and coffee that our hosts had lovingly prepared. They were marvelous, extra-mile hosts, angelically entertaining strangers with world class hospitality. We were sleepwalking, drowsy extra baggage they certainly could have chosen not to lift. Between us, however, was one word: a name.  We shared a common, dear friend named Wes. When we came using his name, doors opened. We mentioned his name and smiles broke out. We slept and ate because of his name. We were sent on our way in his name. Because we both knew and loved the same friend, our connection was sweet, effective, and mutually satisfying. Knowing the right person, with permission to use his name, is a powerful door-opener.

Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 6

It’s amazing how fast our media centrifuge hurls today’s celebrities to the fringes of memory, leaving them almost forgotten. Cal Ripken, where are you? What ever happened to David Duval? Where did you go, Mikhail Gorbachev? Whither Alan Greenspan, Pete Roselle, or Tom DeLay? Heroes for a season, and then trivia forever. Notoriety is no guarantee of durability. So, what can we pursue today that will not atomize into dust tomorrow? We can invest in the name, the deeds, the glory and the authority of the One who never changes. We can legitimately boast in knowing and understanding the Master whose every attribute proves itself true and solid in every generation. That is a future that will not be marginalized by polls, or relegated to a trivial factoid.

Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 5

My dad taught me a helpful way to use my body and will to overcome the paralysis of fear. He would take me with him on his occasional preaching forays to the Rescue Mission. It was situated where you might expect: in a very scary, Skid Row part of town. The nearest parking place was usually a couple of blocks away, and the walk to the Mission meant passing lots of loitering, homeless, ragged men on a dark street. Dad would say: “Roger, we are going to walk together, swing our arms and look like we are going somewhere. No one will bother us, and we won’t have any trouble.” Whether his method actually affected any of those men, I’ll never know.  It did, however, fix an indelible picture in my mind about facing my fears: go straight in. Go with purpose. Go with someone else at your side, and don’t get distracted. This method doesn’t trick or ignore my emotions; it supersedes them to accomplish something greater. Swing your arms and walk in a straight line. Your fears will recede on the sidewalk as you arrive at the purpose for your day. 

Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 4

Hanging drywall is a two-man job. It’s not just the weight of it. It’s just so clumsy, bulky, and cantankerous!  Too many operations need to happen with just two hands.  So when Steve offered to help me, not only with his strength, but with his expertise, I jumped at the opportunity. Some helper!  He made it look easy. He knew how to prepare, how to lift, how to make the joints fit, and how to get-‘er-done. I was instantly aware that trying to do this without his help was foolish and ridiculous. What little I had accomplished on my own had been excruciatingly difficult and poorly done. I needed help. I needed wisdom. I needed strength. I needed encouragement. What a metaphor for the great Helper Jesus promised to send us. What are you trying to do on your own? Do you know there is a helper available?

"Be the Man!" Week 3

Way back in the gauzy memory of my track career I was consumed with weight. My body fat index was zilch. I wore the lightest materials on my body. I wanted no extra water or food in my stomach. And, I especially wanted the lightest shoes. My event was the steeplechase, which includes a water jump on each lap. The first time I ran it I was startled at how much water was squishing in my shoes after each jump. So, I punched holes in my track spikes to eliminate those micro-ounces of unwanted weight. All of these details could appear obsessive or trifling if it were not for the goal. I wanted to run well toward the goal, and every ounce of extra weight would compromise my freedom to run. Shedding weight was no sacrifice because the finish line was worth it. Is this not the spiritual principle behind daily confession of sin, and regular worship of our Father? We shed encumbering weight and we re-focus on the race ahead.


Roger

"Be the Man!" week 2

The new healthcare law weighs in at 1100 pages. Who has read it? The U.S. Government regulations on the sale of cabbage entails 26,911words. Who wants to read it? The Lord’s prayer, in contrast, is 66 words. Millions have memorized it.  Which of these documents will change your life for the better? It isn’t the weight of the document, but the heft in the words that makes the difference.  Your Father has a few weighty words for your day today. His word will constantly refresh you about His character and His will. His Spirit will bring the just-right obedience to mind when it needs to be enacted.  Simply apply those few words, without deviating, and watch them guide you through the thickets of confusion. 

Roger

"Be the Man!"

“Is it in you?” That’s the marketing hook for Gatorade. They depict nearly superhuman endurance and strength to those who pour their concoction into their thirsty bodies. It’s an add-in, to be added to the other products that are add-ons. But for the Christ-follower there is no need to go searching for strength and power to add in or to add on. It IS in you. It’s built in, and alive. It’s inexhaustible and ever-ready. It’s the Holy Spirit. Do you recognize how to unleash this Spirit of Christ in you today? Unsmother Him. Give Him the air of your open and clean heart. Fuel His fire with the truth of the Word. He will be ablaze within you!

Roger

I'm back!

Hey, friends,
I am planning to be a more frequent visitor and contributor to my own blog! I began it originally as a place to “park” some writing I was doing, and which still captures my heart. Hence, you will find some VERY long entries from the past. That writing project remains incomplete, but I want to get back to it one of these days. In the meantime, many of you are linking to this blog to retrieve the “Be The Man” devotional thoughts. I have received many words of appreciation about these—and that’s saying something, since they are sent exclusively to men! My intent with these paraphrases of scripture is to help you hear the one voice we all need to hear: the voice of our true Father. Every man wants to know what his Dad thinks of him. Through this blog you will still receive one per week, and you will be able to share it more easily with others. Thanks for any suggestions you can send to me. I hope to become a more responsive and proactive communicator through the use of this medium. Shalom!
Roger

Updates

Hey friends,
As you will notice, I'm working on making some updates to my blog and hope to officially "re-launch" soon. Check back soon!

Roger