How committed are you?

This blog has always been a great place for me to “keep it real” with readers, to share honestly about my own struggles and shortcomings, and to openly work through my flaws. For example, if you missed my fantastic parenting fail from earlier this year, feel free to learn at my expense. Seriously, parents, it could save you a little heartache. Today I want to openly admit another flaw: I’m an absolute sucker for any movie involving Sylvester Stallone (can we all just agree that he’s one of our nation’s finest actors?) and the Rocky franchise. (Fun fact for you: I read an estimate that said the Rocky franchise, to date, has grossed 1.1 TRILLION -- that’s with a “T” -- dollars over it’s lifetime!) So when I saw that a new Rocky movie was coming out Thanksgiving Day, I was already fully convinced of two things: It will be the Movie of the Year AND, Sly will finally win an Academy Award.

Ok, probably neither of those things will be true, but c’mon...can you think of a better way to enjoy the after-Thanksgiving Day coma than to watch a Rocky movie? Exactly!

Whether you like Rocky or not, you should stick with this blog. (If you don’t, you can probably already answer the question in this blog title!) Because 1.1 trillion dollars doesn’t happen by accident.

The story of the first Rocky movie is pretty well known, and part of what made the Rocky movie such a glowing success. There’s a little fact, and certainly a little fiction involved, but overall the story incapsulates the American Dream.

Sylvester Stallone wrote the original Rocky script and wanted to see it produced in Hollywood. He shopped it to several studios, and a couple showed interest, but they didn’t like the one caveat that came with Sly’s proposal: he had to be the star of the movie. According to one report, he turned down $150,000 for the script because they refused to allow him the lead role.

Time passed, and Sylvester and his wife were near the end of their resources. Down to around $100 in his bank account and with his wife pregnant and no acting opportunities in sight, Stallone had to sell his beloved dog that he could no longer afford to feed. Near the ratty Hollywood apartments they lived in, he posted a sign at a bar, listing his dog for sale, for $100. He finally sold him for $50 to man named “Little Jimmy” (a dwarf).

One week later, Sly received word that a studio would take his movie and he would get to star in the Rocky lead role. The studio was willing to pay him $30,000 up front. He signed the contract, took the money and immediately went back to the bar to find Little Jimmy and his dog. After a few days of searching, several minutes of negotiating and multiple threats from Little Jimmy, Stallone bought his dog back...for $3,000! (He even gave Little Jimmy a cameo in the first movie.) His dog went on to star in the first two Rocky movies, though he passed away before Rocky 3 was filmed.

Stallone was absolutely relentless in pursuing his dream and he didn’t settle for less when he had the chance. Think about it: I wonder how many people would have happily taken $150,000 in his circumstances, and celebrated the sale of a screen play? Sure, they would have been wealthier but they would have compromised on their dream in order to do so. What would you have done? Down to your last $100, and no one seeing your dream with the same clarity or vision you have? Would you have settled?

The Apostle Paul had a dream to “know Christ more” and he was willing to give up everything else, in order to see that dream come true. In Philippians 3:8 he writes, “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...” Listen to his passion as he continues to describe his absolute commitment to the goal: “...for [His] sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ...I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection...”

Peter was passionate about helping others stand firm in their calling as children of God. In 2 Peter 1:12 he says, “So I will always remind you of these things [the Gospel and God’s divine power to produce righteousness in us], even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.” Look how committed he was as he continues to describe his passion for this goal:  “I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body...And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things...” (2 Peter 1:14-15).

John was absolutely committed to proclaim the message of Jesus that he had witnessed with his own eyes, a message he believed would unite the brothers in fellowship with one-another in love, and in fellowship with their Creator and Savior. Read 1 John and see how his passion emerges over and over and over again!

Abraham was relentless in his pursuit of the promise God had given him, so much so, that he was willing to give up the very thing he prized most in order to see God’s Word fulfilled. David loved the house of the Lord, and spent the last years of his life preparing the raw materials needed so his son could build it. Esther trusted God’s ability to save her people so much, that she laid her very life on the line in a desperate attempt to see Him show up. An impoverished widow trusted God’s ability to provide for her needs, to the point she gave Him her last two pennies as a show of her faith. The list goes on and on and the question remains: how committed are you to what God has put on your heart to do?

Overboard Ministries exists to help believers live their God-designed lives, out of the comfort of the boat, and out on the water where Jesus is building His Kingdom. It’s a passion God has put into our hearts for years, and today we are embracing the challenges, testings and opportunities that come from stepping out in faith to see this dream become a reality. The dream of speaking to more students, the dream of inspiring couples to embrace an Overboard marriage, the dream of empowering believers to use their God-given gifts to reach the lost and the dream to lead others leaders into the pursuit of faith-based ministries and work is as strong as ever.

So are the challenges. And each day I have to answer the question, “How committed am I?”

Sylvester Stallone didn’t build a 1.1 trillion dollar franchise by merely showing up with a manuscript. He was relentlessly committed to seeing his dream realized. Paul gave up his life, prematurely, pursuing his goals, as did Peter and 11 of the 12 disciples of Christ. Abraham died not seeing his dream fulfilled but left the hope of legacy with his family. David gave Solomon everything needed to see the House of God built and Esther saved her people. They were all, absolutely committed to God’s work in their lives, and to the dreams and passions He had placed inside of them.

What do you need to add to your life (habits, disciplines, friendships...) to keep your dreams front and center? What distractions do you need to remove from your life (habits, disciplines, friendships...) to keep your dreams front and center?

How committed are you?

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

Ferguson on my mind.

A week has passed since the Grand Jury reached its decision in the city of Ferguson, and things haven’t quieted down much. While Ferguson was ablaze in anger, shock and outrage, other cities have had little riots and protest marches as people everywhere responded to the outcry for justice that many perceive has not occurred. Then another group of people are appalled by the behavior of those who are rioting, flipping cars over and smashing windows of local businesses. Some even feel like the justice system worked, and that regardless, civil chaos isn’t a proper response.

I’ve seen whites and blacks, men and women, on both sides of the debate. I’ve read tweets from a black rapper who said she might start killing “crackers in their sleep” (she tweeted later that it was a joke) and that she “hates straight white men” in response to the judicial system’s lack of justice. I’ve read post from a white guy who said, “I hope every rioter gets their head bashed in with a club...”, and a white woman who said, “...Officer Wilson did his job that August day...” I also saw this from a white man who wrote, “Cops have come a long way since Rodney King...it’s getting worse!” and a black man who wrote, “...the black people of Ferguson are a disgrace to other blacks. They asked for justice and the courts ruled...” I too have felt a lot of emotion about these events.

Black or white, male or female, the issues in Ferguson have hit a nerve.

People are sighting interviews with family members and police officers to “prove” their point. Videos of police violence and honorable police conduct have been filling up my social media feeds (even squeezing out the dog jumping on a trampoline video!) and heartache, anger, revenge and compassion are spilling over from everywhere. Friends are being dropped because of different view points, new friendships are being formed over agreeing opinions and comments are flying back and forth between total strangers.

No matter what side of the ruling you are on, Ferguson has captured our attention. It has certainly captured mine.

As I’ve reflected on what’s happened since the Grand Jury verdict was read, I’ve come up with three thoughts that seem to withstand the barrage of conflicting emotions and counter opinions flying around them. Here they are, and I would love to know what you think.

First, to me, the biggest travesty here isn’t the sense of injustice some feel, or the fear of law enforcement that many are talking about, it’s the tragic loss of life for an 18-year-old boy, and the pain and suffering that tears through a family, a school and a community when a young person’s life is ended. As a youth pastor for almost 17 years, and having worked with students for over 20 years, I can assure you that every time a young person is killed or tragically ends their own life, the heartache is deep.

Parents and family achingly ask “why?” as no parent ever wants to bury their child -- it’s not how it’s supposed to be. Having walked with several families through the loss of a child, I’ve seen the heartache and pain up-close and personal. In fact, I’m not sure there is a greater type of personal suffering than that experienced with the loss of a child. A child whose future is wide open before him. A child who was anticipating the next stage of her life. A child who had dreams and plans, who touched the lives of others, who had a special place in mom’s memory and who was celebrated joyously the day they entered this world.

And as the family suffers, so do the peers of the Michael brown. I’m certain many of his classmates, fellow employees and friends faced their own sense of mortality after hearing of his death. Having a friend in school or work one day, only to have him gone the next, leaves a gaping hole in a peer’s life, one that doesn’t just fill up overnight. Some respond in anger, some with a healthy dose of tears, others with silent, painful, contemplation and still others turn to substances for rescue. No matter the cause, the loss of life is painful.

Whatever you may think, feel, believe or know about the events of Ferguson, don’t forget that an 18-year-old child lost his life. Death hurts us all.

Second, the troubles in the Ferguson shooting didn’t begin on August 9th, 2014. While  some of the facts of this case may never be fully revealed (was Michael attacking Officer Wilson? Did Officer Wilson fire in self-defense or did he take aim at a man surrendering to his authority? Was this racially motivated? Was it excessive force or well within the guidelines of an officers parameters while in the line of duty?) one fact is evident: the events that ended with Michael’s death on August 9th, certainly didn’t start on Aug 9th.

Tragically, the shooting of August 9th began with a robbery involving Michael. According to a store’s video recording, Michael and a friend attacked a convenience store clerk and stole a box of cigars. But that wasn’t the start of the story either. It goes back further, because at some point in time Michael believed he had the right to take what wasn’t his. At some point in time he was taught a value that if you want it, take it. If someone else has it, over power them. Maybe it was a friend at school. Maybe it was a parent or family member. But somewhere along the line it became ok to steal.

It may well be that officer Wilson’s actions were out of line with standard conduct of a police officer. Maybe his shots were fired in response to racial profiling or in gross prejudice toward the conduct of people of color. I don’t know officer Wilson, and I can’t wade through enough of the details to determine what’s true or not. However, racism is a sickening reality in our world (all over our world!) and if it was in play in Ferguson, it came into play long before August 9th!

The story begins -- not with theft or racism -- when we face the reality of our sin, the reality of our own personal corruption, and choose to do nothing about it. You see, when we break God’s laws and standards, we come face to face with the fact that our lives are thoroughly influenced by sin’s power. We were born with sin woven into our spiritual DNA, and nothing in us naturally longs to do what’s right. At some point in our lives, we become consciously aware of sin’s influence, and when we reject God’s plan of salvation over and over and over again, we reject the one power that can give us freedom from sin’s control.

Theft and racism and rioting have the same root, it’s called sin, and it’s ugly in all of its forms.

Third, the madness that unfolded in the aftermath of the Grand Jury’s decision should make us all look inward at our own lives. While you may point a finger at Officer Wilson or Michael Brown, or whether you blame a community or a police force, whatever side of the issue you fall on, we have the same personal responsibility: how will we keep ourselves from our own Ferguson?

What sin in your life could lead to an explosive response like the one in Ferguson? Are you angry, ready to lash out at the next person who cuts you off in traffic or hangs up on you at work? Are you hiding secrets of lust from your spouse allowing guilty pleasures to create a wedge in your marriage? Are you taking out your work frustrations on your children, spouse or ex-spouse? Do you hope for bad things to happen to other people, are you plotting revenge on someone who has wronged you or are you harboring a bitter, unforgiving spirit to your parents, husband or boss? Do you have a penchant for lying? Is it easy for you to justify stealing something from someone you believe “doesn’t deserve it?” Do you gossip and speak ill of others, and then flip-flop when you’re with a different set of friends?

If you and I will turn to the One who can help us with our own sin, we can avoid another Ferguson by never walking down that road ourselves! If we will deal with our own junk, then our own junk can’t be at the heart of tragedy like the one in Ferguson. Imagine if Michael Brown had put theft away from his life long before August 9th! He never would have assaulted a clerk and stolen cigars, Officer Wilson never would have been called and this last Thanksgiving in the Brown house would not have included an empty seat at the table. If Officer Wilson is guilty of gross misconduct or racism, imagine how different August 9th would have been had those things been dealt with years before he ever put on the uniform. Imagine how different the long-term outcome might have been for Michael had he been given an opportunity to change his life path. How different would the Thanksgiving table had been at the Wilson’s house if the death of an 18-year-old boy wasn’t the main topic on everyone’s mind?

I ache for the loss Michael’s family is still feeling. Ferguson lost one of her sons and the community heartache is real. Thankfully, thousands of protesters have raised their voices in peaceful ways as law-abiding citizens of every ethnicity. May their voices be heard over the noise of broken glass, angry shouts and burning cars. But I also ache for what officer Wilson’s family is experiencing. Having known several police officers as friends, I can’t imagine what it’s like to take a person’s life in the line of duty. If it was racially motivated, I can’t fathom the hatred that is destroying him. If it was in accordance with proper conduct as ruled by the Grand Jury, I can’t imagine the pain in his conscience, the constant “what ifs” he is playing out and the reality that  his actions have stirred a community in so many ways. Neither family “won” in this tragedy.

Most of all, I pray that the Browns and the Wilsons will experience genuine healing. Nothing will ever replace the loss they’ve experienced, but healing can soften pain’s edge. I pray that the the community of Ferguson will find common ground in hope, not anger, in resolutions and not rioting. I pray that a nation will solve this, not strictly at a legal level, but at a personal individual level. And for each of those to happen, I pray that God changes hearts as only God can, beginning with mine.

And I really believe God can bring peace to all of this. God is a God who loves to step into the brokenness, heartache and suffering that we’ve created, and perform life-changing, peace-giving miracles. God loves to reconcile the defendant and plaintiff and to build a bridge of peace between the victim and perpetrator. As much as God’s heart is broken by everything that has happened in Ferguson, His power to bring change and healing is even greater. I believe the love, peace, mercy and grace of God could show up mightily in Ferguson, and that the Browns and Wilsons can both be freed from the losses they’ve each experienced.

In fact, imagine if next November, the Browns and Wilsons shared the Thanksgiving meal together! Imagine if the emptiness at the table this year, was replaced by powerful new relationships forged in the Gospel of reconciliation. Imagine if hate could be replaced by compassion, if loss could be replaced by hope and if inner turmoil could be replaced by peace. Sound impossible? It is...unless the people of Ferguson find the power of the Gospel in all of this. Ultimately, my prayer is for God’s power to show up in life-changing ways that brings people together.

And if I believe God can bring peace to the Wilson’s and Browns, am I accepting His peace in my life? Am I embracing hope for my losses? Am I allowing peace to calm my turmoil? Am I expressing compassion where hatred reigns? We all have a little Ferguson in our hearts, and we all need the Gospel of reconciliation to start it’s work in us, first.

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water.

Simple acts

Every few years, I tackle an item on my bucket list. It’s always the same item, and by my calculation, it will take another decade to finish. What’s that bucket list item? To see a Major League Baseball game in every ball park in America. Presently, there are 30 such ballparks, and me and a group of friends have crossed 16 off the list over the past 3 trips spanning 7 years.  

A few weeks back, three of our group (numbering 6 on our first trip, 7 on our second, and now 3 on our third) took on six games over a seven day period. We watched the White Sox in Chicago, took a day off to tour Lake Ann Camp, then visited the Indians in Cleveland, the Tigers in Detroit, the Cubs in Chicago, the Twins in Minnesota and the Brewers in Milwaukee. It was a glorious trip.

During our first game in Chicago, watching the White Sox at U.S. Cellular field, I was given a baseball during the Sox’s pre-game batting practice. It was a nice looking ball, had only been hit once or twice, was handed to me by one of the Sox pitchers and was bearing just one scuff. Catching a ball at a baseball game is always a fun highlight.

As batting practice continued, my friends and I took off on a self-guided tour of the park. This is one of our pre-game rituals, and one of the best parts of our trip -- seeing the unique features that each park offers. We started in right field, worked our way across centerfield and then dropped down to the fence in the left field bleachers. My friend Chad caught a batting practice home run, and then tracked down another one that landed uncaught in the bleachers. It was a good first game.

As we departed left field at the end of batting practice, I saw a little boy, probably 8 or 9 years old, leaving the bleachers with his dad. I heard his father say, “Well, we tried buddy, maybe next time we’ll get a ball!” The boy was obviously bummed to have not caught a ball, but he put his too-large Sox cap back on, told his dad he was “ok” and proudly wore his Sox jersey as they headed up to their seats.

I couldn’t help myself. I grabbed the ball I picked up at BP and chased after the boy and his dad. I caught up with them on the wide concourse, just a few yards away from the massive Frank Thomas statue that rests on the left field porch. I called fort the little guy’s attention and asked if he wanted a BP ball. It was a redundant question, and he looked at his dad for permission. The dad gave an appreciative smile and told his son it was ok.

The boys smile was as big as his oversized hat. He couldn’t believe it and thanked me four or five times. He rubbed the ball in his small hands and and you would have thought I had just handed him a hundred dollar bill. His eyes lit up, he thanked me again and he walked away buzzing with excitement. The little Sox fan walked off with a spring in his step as he tossed the ball lightly into the air. He was smiling and laughing and he and his dad were both a little happy about the gift.

For several seconds I watched them walk down the concourse, and was surprised by a little wave of emotion that washed over me -- I knew I had made that young boy’s night. I knew he was going to walk in the door of his home and when his mom asked, “How was the game?” his first response was going to be: “I got a ball!” I knew he was going to sleep with that baseball under his pillow and first thing in the morning, he would pull out his glove and play catch, dreaming of being a major league ball player one day. I knew because I watched my son AJ do the same thing at one of the first games I took him to in Seattle. (Thanks JJ Putz for throwing it to us!)

My buddies had come up after me and they saw the boy wandering off with the ball. The old man in our group slapped me on the back, because he loves the nostalgia of baseball, in fact, he’s the one who has helped me to understand it. My road trip comrades wandered off to the first restroom break of the night, while I just enjoyed the moment.

It was so simple, but the act of giving away a free baseball had changed the course of one little boy’s night. In fact, I’m fairly confident I improved the night of the boy’s dad, too. It was so easy and so fun.

In moments like that, I wonder why I don’t do those kinds of things more often. The simple act of giving kindness in meaningful yet unexpected ways is powerful for everyone involved. Makes Paul’s words take on whole new meaning: “Be kind…to one another” (Eph 4:32). A simple act of kindness can change the course of someone’s night, can turn sadness to joy, anger to joy and loss to gain.

I’m going to work on taking advantage of the opportunities God has already given me to offer kindness to others. Sometimes it might be big, but so often, it’s just a simple act that God provides space for. I know when I regularly take advantage of the small opportunities -- I’ll be ready for the bigger ones that are sure to follow an Overboard life focused on giving.

Will you put Colossians 3:23 to practice today? What about making a commitment to perform at least one simple act of kindness every day for week? How do you think God will you use to impact others? How do you think you will be changed?

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

Mercy

This week I have decided to take on a challenge for myself: No iPad entertainment (in particular Netflix), no baseball watching (although I did give myself permission to check box scores ) and no movies until I’ve read through the New Testament in a week. It’s Tuesday and I’m thinking I will be starting against next week with this goal. We’ll see how things ends up. I’ve enjoyed being immersed in the Bible and I’ve walked away with a couple of cool lessons so far from the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). In Matthew, I realized that the theme of “mercy” comes up quite a bit. In fact, it seems to be one of the big things Jesus rips into the Pharisees for not possessing (they were the religious leaders of the day). They were big into rules and regulations, into traditions and religion, but they weren’t into the practical application of faith. Let me give you an example.

One Saturday afternoon (the Jewish sabbath), Jesus and His disciples were walking through the field after a long day. Everyone was hungry and the Bible says that Jesus’ disciples started picking the heads of grain and eating them. Somewhere off in the distance, a Pharisee sees this and starts chastising Jesus for allowing his disciples to “work” on the sabbath, a practice that was forbidden by Jewish custom.

As the discussion between Jesus and these Pharisees increases, it moves into the synagogue where a man with a shriveled hand walks into the meeting. The Pharisees take this opportunity to ask, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?” You see, they thought they had trapped Jesus. If He answers, “Yes” then they’ll get him for breaking the law. If he says, “no”, then they’ll get him for showing no mercy or kindness.

But Jesus lays a smack down on these guys and asks them, “If you had a sheep fall into a pit on the sabbath…would you pull it out of the pit?” The unspoken answer was, “of course!” So Jesus says, “If you can pull out a lamb that falls into a hole, how much more valuable is this man?” Then he healed the guy and the Pharisees left angry at Jesus’ uncanny ability to respond to their ignorant attempts to trap Him. (All of this happens in Matthew 12:1-14).

Jesus point was made clear in verse 7: “If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”

It wasn’t that sacrifice was a bad thing -- in fact Jesus calls all of His followers to be people of sacrifice. It wasn’t that following the rules was a bad thing -- in fact Jesus tells us repeatedly that there are God-given rules and guidelines He wants His children to follow. But the demonstration of sacrifice or the strict adherence to the rules without the expression of love and mercy is fruitless!

I see this in my kids all the time. When I punish them for the sake of me being right or because I simply want to enforce the rules, I almost always get push back, lousy attitudes and more reasons for me to punish them. I’m “right” in the sense that I’m enforcing a particular rule, but I’m dead wrong in how I’m enforcing it. I’m no better than the Pharisees.

But when I punish my children with love and mercy, the ensuing result is almost always substantially better. It’s not that they suddenly start singing in joy over their consequence, but I usually receive much less attitude, and we frequently have engaging conversations over the why of the offense, and not just about the pain of the punishment. Mercy and love gives me access to their hearts.

Everyday you and I have chances to show mercy to people in our lives. Maybe it’s our spouse and our children, or maybe it’s a boss or coworker. Maybe it’s one of the people you serve in your job, or maybe it’s that paper delivery boy who never can seem to get your newspaper onto your driveway! There’s that barista at the coffee shop that can’t seem to remember you don’t like whip cream on your coffee, and don’t forget about that family member that always makes you late, or the guy who... there are plenty of people to whom you can show mercy to everyday!

Would you put mercy on your radar today? Will you take time to ask God to help you be a person of mercy and love? I have a friend who was recently lit-up by someone else, and treated like garbage. I don’t know the circumstances, I just saw the outcome on facebook when she posted this:

“Another time I wish I was one of those people that bashes someone on a social network, but instead I will hold my head high, pray for this individual, and watch them dig their hole deeper each time they do others wrong. I don't really call it karma, I see it as a pathetic angry person that will never change and revels in attempting to bring others down to his/her miserable level. Today I hold my head high and will not succumb to such venomous individuals.”

Show mercy today. It’s not just a good idea, it’s actually a command by God that we be merciful people. And mercy has a way of showing back up in our lives when we have been generous with it ourselves.

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

He flipped me off, then spat on my windshield!

Every driver knows the feeling of making a small mistake on the road, because we’ve all been there; either you’ve cut someone off accidentally, or had someone take your right of way. Most of the time you wave and the incident passes. Occasionally you get a honk, maybe a gesture telling you, you’re number one, but rarely does it turn into much else. A few days ago I had a first.

I was pulling out of a gas station near my house and noticed a significantly larger-than-usual flow of traffic. As I started to turn right, I realized the street was closed that direction and that traffic was being diverted back towards me -- thus the large traffic mess. I had pulled out part way when I became aware of the situation, so I stopped, flipped my blinker form a right turn to a left turn, and waited as a kind bus driver was giving me an opening to slip into when her light turned green.

As I waited, a pedestrian was now coming my way on the sidewalk. Problem was, my maneuver that started as a right turn and became a left turn, had ended with my van partially blocking the sidewalk. When I realized my error, I wasn’t able to back up because the car behind me was right on my tail.

Seeing the pedestrian coming I waved, mouthed the words, “Sorry” to him, but felt fine knowing it would be ok. He could still walk on the sidewalk (it was only partially blocked) and wouldn’t have to enter the street to get around. I was mistaken thinking that it would be ok.

As he passed me, he uttered multiple profanities. He gestured wildly and almost seemed to be inviting me out of my car to beat the living day lights out of me (I guess he couldn’t have known that I studied the Karate Kid religiously as a young teenager). Then he spat on my windshield. When, moments later, I made my left turn onto the street, and passed the corner he was standing on, he flipped me off, still uttering profanities, and still angry about the fact I took up half his sidewalk.

That moment really started my morning poorly. As I drove home I reflected on the man’s behavior. I actually had a thought of the movie Elf where the taxi cab hits Elf . Elf jumped up and was fine after the incident; maybe I should have nudged this guy too…

When I got home, I picked up my devotional book for the morning and the lesson was about controlling our thoughts ahead of time. In other words, you can’t anticipate that an angry pedestrian will insult your mother, your IQ and your driving skills while spitting on your windshield, but you can already know how you’ll respond if he does.

Apparently day-dreaming of running a pedestrian over isn’t the type of controlled response God is looking for from His children.

While reading my Bible and working through my book, I started wondering what this man’s life was about. Why was he so angry? Was he married, and if so, how does his wife handle this kind of out burst? Does he have kids? What’s going on in their souls day in and day out? It must be horrible to live with someone who is so angry.

I’ve been around long enough to know you don’t just wake up angry one day…little by little you are put down, beaten back, embarrassed, harassed, abused or taken advantage of enough times that you start giving vent to your wrath. At first it scares you, but then it’s almost a relief and at times even an empowerment. You know it hurts others, but ultimately you feel like it’s your only defense against life’s hurts. I bet this man's life is one of extreme pain.

When I thought about my walking friend in that light, I didn’t care so much about my windshield or my ego. I wished I had walked up to the corner and offered him a ride; it was a cold and wet morning. Of course, I might have gotten the living daylights beaten out of me (only if he knew how to defend against the Crane Kick!), but somehow I think that would have been a better response than wondering how realistic the movie Elf was.

I want to be filled with compassion for people so that my first response isn’t self-defense, my sense of justice or revenge. Living Overboard means I can’t resort to what’s easy or “natural”, my response has to be supernatural -- borne of God’s work in my life. I can’t predict how others will respond to me, but by being filled with God, His Word and His Spirit, I can predict what my response will be.

How about you? Are you prepared to be flipped off, spat on and verbally abused? Probably not. But if you are walking close with God, keeping His Word ever-present in your life, you are more ready than you think.

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

Extra Credit:

I Peter 2:23 illustrates how Jesus handled a similar, yet obviously more severe, situation. You’ll notice He didn’t all down a divine cadillac to run over His offenders:

“When they hurled their insults at Him [Jesus], He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him [the Father] who judges justly.”

Jesus set the bar high. We do not have permission to take revenge or justice into our own hands, but He will judge correctly. And He won’t just judge the offender’s actions, He will also judge how you and I respond in those situation. That’s reflects His teachings during the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5-7:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘an eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person If someone strikes you on the rich cheek, turn to him the other also” (5:38-39).

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (5:43-44).

There’s no way around it, God expects godly responds from God’s children. I blew it a few days ago, but I want to be ready the next time opportunity rolls around. Fill your mind with God’s truth, and you’ll be ready, too.

Football and other gifts from God

Every once in a while I’ve read a story or heard a news piece that made me think, “This should be turned into a movie!” Rarely has that happened (so odd that Hollywood directors aren’t looking more for my opinion). Back in 2008, I came across such a story. It was a about a football game in Texas between Faith Christian high school and Gainseville State School. I doubt anyone remembers the final score of the game, but those who attended will never forget what happened.

You see, Gainseville State School is a school for juvenile delinquents. They have no home field to play on, so every one of their football games is an away game. Until they played at Faith Christian high school, one night in Gainseville, Texas.

The coach of the FCHS Lions had an idea, one that would impact the lives of each of the GSS Tornadoes. He asked the families and cheerleaders of his school to cheer on the players from the other school. He asked them to make a spirit line, one that stretched 40 yards, for the Tornado players to run through. They made signs and banners for the “opposing” team. At the start of the game, Tornado players were shocked to see their stands fuller than the other side, and to hear a crowd much larger than the usual few family members there to root them on.

In an interview after the game, the Lions coach made the comment that if this type of game had been started 10-15 years ago, maybe there wouldn’t be a need for Gainesville State School, today. Giving players a chance at hope, an opportunity to be believed in and a moment to feel loved and accepted, even by total strangers, can change the course of a young man’s life.

And guess what? They’re going to turn this story into a movie. It's called "One Heart" and it's due out sometime next year.

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/14503709]

I wonder how many opportunities you and I have to alter someone’s future for good, if we would just ask God for help, to see things the way He does? The football game in Gainesville didn’t require any extra funds or resources. Instead, one coach just redirected the love and compassion of his fans to a group of young men who desperately needed both. By simply moving people about 70 yards (the distance from one set of bleachers to the other), lives may very well have been changed for the Kingdom.

1. Is there an adjustment you could make to a regular, maybe even mundane, task, that could dramatically impact the life of someone else? (For example: giving up a few cups of coffee each month, in order to support a missionary or an orphan through World Vision, or taking your lunch breaks at the local mission to help serve a meal.)
2. Who do you come into contact with regularly (daily or weekly or monthly) that needs help? Is there any way you could mobilize others to join you in a quest to love as God loved?
3. Could you donate one hour a week to help others in need? Ask your pastor about opportunities through your church, or visit your local school and offer to help.

The point is simple. Opportunities to change lives are all around us. Jesus is out on the water, and He calls us to join Him. However, if we want to get where He is, we have to leave the comfort of the boat and choose to love people as He does. Are you up for the challenge?

Go ahead and take the plunge, live is always better on the water!