Being right vs getting it right

I had a situation at work this week that made me stop and think for a little while. The details of the conversation will probably be meaningless to most, but the question that emerges out of the situation is the more critical thing to focus on. Here's some background (with names changed):

We had to make a production decision for a customer and there were 2 options – one less expensive and the other more expensive. Knowing this customer Ashley made the decision to use the less expensive option (this seemed to be the right decision). Pat (who was ordering the piece) caught me 20 minutes later and we chatted about the situation. The same question – less or more expensive – was posed to me. Pat & I checked the quote we sent the customer and, interestingly, we had included the more expensive option. The decision was then made to order the more expensive (& right) option - given what we had quoted the customer.

Later in the day Ashley and I discussed the project. It came up that Pat changed things to order the more expensive piece after doing some research and finding the appropriate course of action. Ashley says to me, "But that's not what I told Pat to do". To which I responded, "Isn't our job to get it right for our customer?"

I left this conversation not feeling good about the relationship with Ashley, but feeling good that the right decision was made for our customer. The question that still sits in my mind is this: How often do we choose being right over getting it right? They are not always the same thing.

Being right appeals to the ego, the false self. It appeals to the part of us that longs to be seen as competent, good enough, capable, and many other things. Doing it right? Well, that actually takes humility and grace…since this means that sometimes we will not be right. That crushes the ego and all the false self wants to do is strike back in defense. The true self knows that it's not just about us and understands that being wrong is just a part of life…its response is love, grace (for self & others), and perseverance.

My longing is to do it right, but so often I find myself wanting to be right. Pride is a war that's waged everyday for me. Most days it can be a bloody mess…but there's hope. There are those days where the question on what to choose becomes very clear and I actually get it right.

Posted by Donovan Bergman

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Praying Through the Tension

James 1:27 (the Message)

Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

I read this passage first thing this morning, and I have been letting it work its way into my heart all day. I have to admit, it made me very uncomfortable. I am a thinker, a pray-er, more at home in the contemplative passages in the Bible. Commands to "reach out" are so action-oriented, often outside my comfort zone. In this verse, I can find myself in the words "guard against", as that is something I can do from my knees. I want to focus on that part of the verse, but he's clearly highlighting the preceding portion. "Reach out" is something I must get more involved with on a more practical level.

Could Jesus be pleased with my discomfort around this? I'm certain he is challenging me here. Because I find myself at his feet with so many questions, like "why do I find this so difficult?" and "could there be seasons in my life where I'm more contemplative and seasons when I'm more action-oriented?" and even, "if you've created me with a passion for the contemplative, won't this command be carried out by another, by someone whom you've placed this burden on their heart?" So far I have not gotten any neat and tidy answers. I must be meant to live with the tension. This I know for sure: there is no place I'd rather be with all these questions than face down at the feet of my Lord.

Posted by Candice Letkeman

A true message of hope

Isaiah 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory."

I love looking at the heading the editors of my Bible attach to each text. In this case, it's very fitting. It states very simply "Good news for the oppressed". If anything this heading is an extreme understatement.  Take for instance verse 3 where Isaiah talks about what God will change. Ashes to beauty, mourning to joy and despair to praise.
It's a beautiful message of hope we can take with us to our darkest moments.
It's that portion of the text that seems to draw my attention, but when I read the first part it doesn't seem so simple.

It says the time of the Lord's favour has come. We often read in the Old Testament of God "turning away" from his people. Does he do that today? When we have bad times in our lives, are we simply waiting for the "time of the Lord's favour"?

I have more questions than answers, more confusion than explanation on this text. It talks about a joyful time for Jerusalem "and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies." Why am I not entirely comfortable with that? I want God to be with me all the time, and I really want to enjoy the Lord's favour. But I am also told to love my enemies. Should I not than take sadness in the fact that God's anger will be directed against them.

Or are we even supposed to directly relate every word of this to our lives?
After all, this was God's message for Jerusalem a long time ago.

Let's start with what we know. This is a message of hope for the future that is as true now as it was then. God will comfort the brokenhearted, and a day will come when all prisoners will be set free. One day we will trade beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, and praise for despair.

I think God wants us to live in hope for that future, to use His word to prepare for that event, and to be reassured that no matter how bad things get... there  is an end waiting for us that we cannot even imagine.

Read further in this chapter, the description and metaphors create a wonderful picture.

Posted by Greg Vandermeulen

Relieve and Correct

Scripture:  Proverbs 31:8-9

Cross-reference:  Isaiah 1:17a  "Learn to do right!  Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, and correct the oppressor."  (Amplified Version)

 

I started out reading this scripture and was about to write my entry when I my computer decided to stop working.  So, I ended up reading a book called, "Birdi Num Num" by Mamta Mishra to pass the time, which, of course tied right into today's scripture. Birdi Num Num is a poor and hungry bird who discovers a Num Num (Big Seed)  that is too large for him to bite into, thus, he begins a long journey of asking many different powers to help him break down his Big Seed.  He asks a local Grinder, the Majaraja (king), Fire, the Sea, an elephant, etc.  All these people held the power to help him but didn't bother to give him the time of day.

 

Finally, Birdi Num Num meets one of the lower castes in his society, mice!  He came across them doing a march for justice, holding up pictures of transforming persons such as Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Che, etc.  Their way of helping Birdi was to put pressure on the powers that be because they knew that within the power chain each power depended on some service, product, or person. They figured out what influenced who and started a pressure chain to hold each power accountable until finally Birdi was able to get the first person he asked, the Grinder (local help), to grind his Num Num in order to be nourished.  Brilliant!

 
"...relieve the oppressed and correct the oppressor.."  Isaiah 1:17
 
Questions we can ask Jesus:

• who around me or abroad do you desire for me to relieve from oppression?
• where am I in the power chain and what do I need to be held accountable to?
• who can I put pressure on or correct in order to free those who are oppressed? 

 
These are HUGE questions and I am not ready to dive into all of them right now, but they are something we can started creating space for in our minds.

Posted by Andrea Bergman

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It's alll a Matter of Perspective!

Proverbs 28:27

"Be generous to the poor-you'll never go hungry

Shut your eyes to their needs, and run a gauntlet of curses."

 

I have to admit this blogging experience for me has been terrifying and completely out of my comfort zone.  I have found that if I remove myself from the equation and simply pass along the words or images that come to mind somehow that feels better.

 

When I read the passage from Proverbs the word generous jumped out at me.  By definition it means:

 

            Generosity is the habit of giving. Often equated with charity as a virtue, generosity is widely                              

            accepted in society as a positive habit.

            the trait of being willing to give your money or time

      acting generously

By these standards we are off the hook.  Who of us is not willing at some point to share of their time or money?  And if that's the case why don't I feel released?  I believe the challenge  from Jesus is to do more than the occasional opening of our wallets (although there is nothing wrong with that) I believe we are invited to open our hearts, and ourselves up to the experience of walking with people in the challenges of life.  I also believe the invitation is to a way of being rather than an event.  When I think about how this could look, I can easily feel overwhelmed.  When I ask Jesus to join me in the journey I feel hopeful and expectant.  I guess it's all a matter of perspective

Seeing outside yourself...

Hands on Blog Entry – 10/27/08

 

Scripture passage – Isaiah 58:6-9

 

What do you want to highlight Jesus?

Verse 6 (The Message) – "This is the kind of fast day I'm after…"

 

 

How does this apply to my life Jesus?

So often you focus on what you're looking for…and your own perspective is all you see. Most times, your ego gives you a blind eye to seeing things as others see them or as I desire you to see them. This passage is a call to the kind of fasting that I desire – not the fasting that you choose. You choose fasting for a day or two days, whether it's from media, food, or something else you're obsessed with. The fasting I ask you to take part in is about a new lifestyle and a new way of seeing.

 

What do you want to say to me today?

Ask me about this. When you wake up, ask me what kind of fast day I'm after. I will show you. It will always call you to a greater level of service & sacrifice…and will always yield a return much greater than what you give. Remember that the fast I ask you to take on is about your freedom and, in turn, the freedom of those around. And if you say no to my invitation to fast, be assured there will be many more opportunities. The sooner you say yes, the sooner your freedom will arrive.

 

Who do you want me to connect with today?

I want you to connect with those who are outsiders. Befriend them, love them, teach them, and learn from them. They have much to show you.

 

Posted by Donovan Bergman

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what's love got to do with it?

Romans 13:8 (NLT)

Love Fulfills God’s Requirements

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.

How often have I wondered, “what does God require of me?” I have asked this question in many contexts of my life. In this verse it is startlingly clear: He requires me to love others. In the NLT translation, I find I am even obliged to love others. I do not want to get hung up on the negative connotations that word has for me, so with God’s grace I am going to focus on the latter portion of this verse.

When I think of God’s laws, I think of the Ten Commandments. So here I find that if I love my neighbor, I fulfill those requirements. Sounds simple enough. Until I get to some of the more ambiguous commandments … those about coveting, lying (yes, I’ve been known to be less than truthful at times), let alone that whole question of just who exactly is my neighbor … so if I just love others, I’ve got it, right?! Simple, but not easy.

Throughout the past two years or so, I have often found God bringing my attention back to this very command: love. Faced with various situations, this seemed to be his response to just about every question I put to him. So I prayed it for myself, I prayed it for others, I prayed it for this very community. There were times when it seemed like I (or we) “got it”, and that’s exhilarating. Then there were times when I (or we) were so far off the mark that I felt the wind had been knocked out of me. What more can I do? I can’t manufacture love, but I can pray for it. God, who is love, gives us good and perfect gifts. What is better or more perfect than love?

Posted by Candice Letkeman