Seek the Kingdom

Usually about an hour after I eat dinner, I’m back in the kitchen looking for something sweet. I look in the fridge, in the pantry and on the countertop, narrowing down the choices for my sweet tooth. But I’m looking because there something I don’t have. If I was satisfied, I wouldn’t be in the kitchen.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom and live righteously and God will give you everything you need.” Notice he didn’t say everything you want. Jesus is calling us to seek the kingdom or look for kingdom living because he knows we don’t yet have it. We are missing something. We aren’t satisfied and we end up trying all kinds of things that aren’t good for us. Jesus knows exactly what we need to be satisfied: His Kingdom.

So, Paul calls us to imitate Jesus in life and character in Philippians 2:2-3. He calls us as followers to have the posture of Jesus. As followers and believers, we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, the Chosen One, the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Yet, Jesus left all that to be killed for you and me so we could be reunited with our Heavenly Father. See, Jesus posture preceded his position. And we are called to that kind of living as well. Seeking the right posture yields righteousness, not because of anything I’ve done but because of all that Jesus has done and is doing.

So if we are going to be formed into imitators of Jesus, there are some things we can do in our lives to be better molded to look like Jesus. There are four things to know that will help build a Jesus’ posture in your life.

Be a part of community. Robin and I have been married 33 years. I’m grateful for what we have. But since the first week of our marriage, people who are believers have pulled us in and walked with us on our journey. Randy and Robin in Minnesota, Larry and Cindy in Ponca City, John and Sharron who known us since the mid-90s. Being in community or part of a church faith group is paramount. That family of believers gathers around you and helps shape you into someone who looks more like Jesus. You can’t have Jesus without the church.

Secondly, giving your resources helps build a Jesus’ posture. When we talk about money and possessions, we tend to get uncomfortable…nervous. But 15% of Jesus’ preaching was about this subject. It’s clear we are to manage our resources and not them manage us. There is a principle Robin and I use called tithing; giving 10% of our income back to Jesus/the church. We want to do what we can so that other’s can hear the message of freedom…the message of Jesus. When you decide to give back, you’re saying, “God, I think you can do more with my 90% than I can with my 100%.” It’s trusting God will provide and I share the blessings I have recieved.

Jesus said he had come to serve not be served. That’s our third shaping characteristic. When we serve others, we look like Jesus. There are so many ways to serve in the context of a spiritual family but also ways to serve our country, city, and schools. The principle of Jesus in this vein is that others are more important than you, which is a breath of fresh air in our culture. Americanism claims you are number one and you are all that’s important. In Jesus’ upside down kingdom, putting others ahead of yourself is looking like Jesus.

Finally, living an authentic life is how we are called in Jesus. The biggest knock against the church is that we say one thing and do another. That’s called hypocrisy. David Kinnaman, president of Barna, wrote two informative books using data his company collected that measured culture and church. The world doesn’t want any part of the church because we tend to be hypocritical. Three of the six things Barna discovered where the church is judgmental, hypocritical, too political, and too sheltered. There were more findings but these would remind us of the need to be authentic: making our voices and lives mirror Jesus.

As believers, we want a life and story that match our declaration that Jesus is Lord and King. To call for us as believers as that we’d count the cost of following Jesus and sign up. That we would be the kind of people who have a life that looks like Jesus full of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, sacrifice, unconditional love. To help mold us better into that person make sure you are part of a community of believers, that you give freely of your resources, that you serve those around you and live an authentically real Jesus life. Blessings on the journey.

The Key to Greatness.

Most of us have heroes…typically sports figures. Football might be Tom Brady; Basketball could be MJ. Women’s gymnastics is probably Simone Biles. These are the people who have sacrificed a lot to be the greatest of all time. They usually say having a great coach, practice and trusting your skill set are the things to make you the GOAT. But what does Jesus of Nazareth say will make you the GOAT?

Initially, there was no clue to his greatness. He was born in a barn to poor parents who eventually became refugees in another country. His dad was a blue collar worker. Jesus was so ordinary early on that we don’t even know about 17 years of his life.

But the 33 years Jesus had on earth changed the course of human history. His life affected the medical field, the academic field. theology. You can go to the graves of world-be world changers but you can’t go to Jesus’ grave because he isn’t there. And the Bible paints a greatest-of-all-time picture of Jesus.

Just read John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-17 and Hebrews 1:1-3. You’ll see the authors remind us that Jesus existed before time began and that everything we know was created through him and for him. He is the visible image of the invisible God. Jesus is the greatest of all time. So what does the GOAT say is the key to greatness?

Jesus says, “Be last”. Jesus says in Matthew 20:26-27, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” Jesus would never ask us to do anything that he hasn’t already done. Jesus left glory, heaven, authority, peace, purity to be pour into a human body and live on earth. He gave up kingship in order to be a servant.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:3-11 how Jesus left heaven and what he did on earth. Jesus is setting an example for us that in a “me-first” world, a “be-last” life is different. And Paul says “you must” in verse 5 reminding us that if we follow Jesus, looking like him is imperative…it’s not an option.

So focus on the one question this week: “What does ‘be-last’ look like for me?” If you are like me, I could make a list fairly quickly of 10 things I need to change. But if I make a list, I won’t do any of them. So, focus on one thing. What’s one thing that would help you be last this week?

There are so many ways you can look like Jesus this week. Following Jesus will cost me something. My hope is the Spirit will reveal to you exactly what you need to work on. In a me-first world, following Jesus looks very different. Blessings on the journey.

Serve Others and Serve God.

Since when are things–like personal agendas–more important than people? Never have been, yet we live that way.

With a wife, 7 team mates, a side business, and a schedule that’s full, there are countless times I’ve ignored the phone, been too busy or just felt too overwhelmed to check in on longtime friends, new acquaintances or even family members.

No matter how good our intentions, it’s pretty selfish to repeatedly fall into a cycle of putting things above people–things like meetings, moods, deadlines, plans, conditions, desires, events and more.

God’s law commands that we love others as we love ourselves. This stresses the value and priority we should place on “other people.” One way to love on others with the love of God is to serve them.

Jesus spent His precious time on the earth loving and serving people. His purpose was the ultimate sacrifice, which was in fact the ultimate act of servanthood.

It’s hard to shut people out and love them at the same time. When we serve others, we serve God.

Here’s a quick list to help keep things in perspective:

Serve Not to be Seen. Check your motives. Serving others is a selfless act, not a self-centered one.

Step Outside the Box. When we think of serving others, the traditional ministry volunteering often comes to mind. But we can also serve people by simply reaching out to express genuine concern and interest in their well-being.

Persevere. There may be times when people you serve are not very receptive, grateful or appreciative. Forego your expectations, continue on, and put emphasis on the act of serving in love, not the recipient.

Set the Tone. Be humble, yet serve with authority and passion. Let God’s love create the atmosphere to be fruitful, productive and effective.

Be Consistent. There’s never been a shortage of people who could use a listening ear, an extra eye or a helping hand. Let your act of service be ongoing, not just for a season.

Accept the Timing. Remain open. Serving others will almost always inconvenience you. Push past yourself and heed the call to help others when it comes.

Don’t Wait. Perfect conditions will never exist. Decide on an act of service and do it today.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”  1 Peter 4:10. Blessings on the journey.

Be Ready to Share your Life!

I’ve always thought following Jesus was a two-sided coin. On one hand, he’s got all the answers so it’s straight forward. His teaching is easy and light. On the other hand, he’s got all the answers and sometimes it’s tough. Jesus has some difficult things to digest if you are going to follow him. Like In Matthew 5 when he says, “…turn the other cheek…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Really? Are you kidding me?

Right now in this very difficult time in our nation, we are discovering following Jesus really takes courage and resilience. We are called to love people no matter how they treat us. That’s easier to do when people are getting along. But right now with racial tension, conflict with authority, political nastiness, economic downturn, loss of employment AND COVID, we are are questioning Jesus design for life and asking “do I really?”

Jesus never abandoned truth but was equally full of grace and we are called to imitate him. We are called to live in such a way that our very life gives the reason for the hope we have in Jesus. We live in such a way that those who might be speaking ill of us will be embarrassed because we are actually living a life that lifts others up. We do our best to live at peace with everyone. Peter calls us to that kind of living in 1 Peter 3:15-16.

So how do we exemplify Jesus? Paul reminds us that when the Spirit lives within us, it yields a very different life than those who are in the world. Paul says in Galatians 5 that our lives will look like love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. So our goal should be to look like Jesus and extend all of these Godly qualities to those around us…even when it is not easy.

So, always shine for Jesus. Solomon said in Proverbs 11:30, “Seeds of good deeds become a tree of life.” And we want to be life to those we touch every day. For example, when you know your neighbor has had an illness, take over some food or mow the grass for them. When there have been ill words, be the first to offer an apology. When there is silence, speak up. When tears flow, show compassion and give a shoulder to cry on.

Paul reminds us in Colossians 4:5-6 to be an example for those who don’t believe in a risen Savior. Live in such a way that there is gentleness and kindness in your language and life. As followers of Christ, we want the world to take notice of why we live like we do so they too can have the hope we share.

As a follower, don’t be a tyrant. Over the years, I’ve seen so many hold truth in a self-righteous way, brow-beating everyone around them. It’s a fear-based religion that we’ve never been called to live out. So ask yourself these questions with honesty: How do you address folks on social media? How do you carry yourself in the workplace? What is your voice like with your family? How do you show compassion when you are in the right? Jesus was not tyrannical. He held truth in balance with love. And so should we.

Finally, never compromise. After his incredible letter to the church in Rome, Paul ends with how we are called to live life on earth in Romans 12. He calls us to not be conformed to the way the world does life but be transformed into Jesus. Verses 9-21 specifically spell out the kind of people we are called to be.

So love with the truth in mind…be like Jesus. The Jews have a saying: “May the dust of your rabbi settle upon you.” It means may you follow your teacher (that’s Jesus for us) so closely that the dust he kicks up as he walks settles on you. We are all on a wonderful journey. It’s our time to shine. This world needs the hope that only Jesus can offer. Let your life be the story the world can’t get enough of! Blessings on your journey.

Service with a smile

When I was in high school, I worked at a restaurant for about 4 weeks. I really didn’t like it because they primarily had me cleaning the parking lot and washing dishes. I thought I was a little better than that. I thought I was above that kind of work. But many jobs and careers have everything to do with serving other people. However, you’ve had that experience when you interacted with an employee at a restaurant or a retail store or an IT location where the person who was supposed to be serving you didn’t seem like they really wanted to do so…almost like it was above them to be waiting on you.

As followers of Christ, one of the main components of our new Jesus-like DNA is being a servant to those around us. To imitate Jesus in every way. The famous scene in John 13 and Luke 22 is when Jesus serves his disciples at the Last Supper in that upper room. With the weight of the world on his shoulders and knowing what he is about to endure literally hours away, he kneels down and washes his disciples feet.

See, serving others should be part of our every day life when we are trying to look like Jesus. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you must be a servant.” Paul says reiterating Jesus’ thoughts in Galatians 5:13, “You have been called to live in freedom…but don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”

So as people following the rabbi from Nazareth, let’s be intentional this week and the next and the next serving those around with a smile and compassion since we know how Jesus has loved on us. It could be simple like opening the door for someone, allowing someone to cut in line in that commute home from work, or buying someone’s Starbucks behind you in the drive through. It could be something you do to change the direction someone is living. Maybe you’ll find time to sit with someone and just allow them to talk and vent. You could become the go-to person who’s always ready to give great encouragement. Maybe it’s time to sit and talk about forgiveness with someone who has done you wrong in the past.

Our goal is to shine like Jesus, to make his story known and to do it in such a way, the world must take notice. This world doesn’t want to serve. It is pretty selfish. So let’s be radical. Let’s look like Jesus who was a servant and taught us to serve others. Jesus says in Matthew 25, “When you serve other people, you’re actually serving me.” Wow! Now that one sentence changes perspective. Blessings on your journey!