Is the following statement true? Opposites attract. I think most people would agree that it is.

What about this one? Birds of a feather flock together. Again, most would say this is true, or at least that there is truth in it.

The two above statements are diametrically opposed to one another, yet they both contain truth. How can this be? As I pondered this, I was struck by how often I have known something as truth. I mean, I have had times in which I was absolutely certain about something and actually argued with others over it. How silly…especially since, in many instances, I now see it from their point of view and understand that they were also right (or that I was wrong).

It all has to do with perspective. We all have blind spots. This is why it is so important to have others around you whom you allow access to your life.  While it often can be unpleasant, we need to be challenged, we need to be held accountable and sometimes we need to be shown that we are way out of line. We also need cheerleaders in our lives to encourage us.

Jesus provided a great model for us. He hung out most often with 12 guys. And of those 12, Jesus invited three of them to walk even closer to Him (Peter, James and John). Of those three, Jesus allowed even closer access to one (John).

Who have you given permission to speak into your life? Who are your 12? Who are your three? Who is your one?

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

The other night my son and I watched a show on Discovery Channel called Frozen Planet. I have found this series fascinating and I am amazed at how the camera operators are able to capture the incredible images. On this particular segment of the program, emperor penguins were the topic. The narrator shared that in Antarctica, the emperor penguin is the only animal to spend the winter above the ice, exposed to the elements. Actually it is only the male penguin that remains above the ice to care for his mate’s egg while the females are in the water under the ice feeding.

The only reason the males can survive is that they work together. When the temperature drops, they huddle up close to one another, keeping each other warm.

On other animal documentaries, I have noticed the way animals gather together to protect each other from other dangers as well such as carnivorous threats. When a predator is hunting its prey, it almost always targets the animal that is by itself. That is because there is great strength in numbers. That is why God wired them to remain together. The same is true of humans. We are stronger in a team and weaker by ourselves. However, our natural tendency is to isolate ourselves, especially when things are not going well. However when life is going sideways, we especially need others around us.

Our enemy is roaming around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (see the verse below). Just as the lion hunts the zebra, our enemy wants us isolated so that he can have easier access to us. So be like the penguins and huddle up!

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8

Recently I heard a talk about the value of living in a God-honoring family. There were some terrific points brought up that were certainly relevant to my family life and I got a lot out of that message. However, I couldn’t stop thinking about how important this is in all our relationships, especially those at work (perhaps because I have worked in several environments I considered to be less than God-honoring – in fact, the picture above resembled a boss I once had). So what does a God-honoring workplace look like?

l think a couple of verses give us a good look at what a God-honoring work environment would include:

• Ephesians 4:2 – Be completely humble and gentle; bearing with one another in love.
• Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Could you imagine working at a place that embodied these characteristics? It would be a place where the people were:

• Completely humble;
• Gentle;
• Patient, bearing with one another in love;
• Selfless servants to each other;
• Truly for one another.

To many, this probably seems like utopia…the perfect place to work. However, we more typically see the opposite…work environments where people are arrogant, rude, impatient and selfish. And when we’re in such an environment our natural tendency is to act in the same manner. After all, who wants to be gentle and kind to a jerk? But these verses are not suggesting we embody these characteristics only when others around us do. We are being told to choose to walk this way regardless of our environment. In essence we are encouraged to be atmosphere changers.

The fact that we are more likely to be kind and considerate to others when they treat us that way shows us the power we have to change atmospheres. It only takes one person to start. Why not you?

Last week on vacation something embarrassing happened to me. Normally I am very careful when I apply sunscreen because I have been burned too many times in the past making me very uncomfortable when I had missed spots on my body. I don’t think I have had a sunburn in quite a few years…until this past week. On day two, I apparently missed a big spot on my chest (see the picture to the right). I still don’t understand how this happened, but it did.

I learned several lessons as a result of my mistake:

1. I learned the value of diligence (had I been more diligent in applying my sunscreen, this would not have happened). Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Ecclesiastes 11:6

2. I learned the value in listening to wise counsel. (That day, Denise, who was traveling with us, said, “Jim, your chest is looking really red.” But instead of listening and applying more sunscreen, I dismissed her as if she said nothing to me). Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Proverbs 13:10

3. I learned that pride comes before the fall. (When Denise told me my chest was red, I actually responded with, “Yea I know, it usually gets that way and then gets tan.” As a result, I ended up having to wear a t-shirt most of the week because of the sunburn and pain.) Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

We just returned from a very relaxing week with some good friends in the beautiful Playa Del Carmen area of Mexico. We stayed at the Grand Mayan and were treated like royalty with tremendous service from the very friendly staff. Having stayed at the Grand Mayan before, we were not surprised by this treatment.  However, on day two of our vacation I was incredibly impressed by something that happened.

The night before, I had requested to our concierge, Paola, that the housekeeping crew put an extra sheet at the bottom of our king-sized bed. The last couple of inches of the mattress were showing which is not an issue for most people (only those five feet twenty inches or taller!). That next day upon returning from the beach, I almost fell down laughing when I saw our bedroom. Our very creative maid, Rosario, had completely rearranged our bedroom, moving our sofa to the end of our bed to make a bed extension (see picture below).  I was flabbergasted to say the least and was very appreciative that they would go to that much trouble to accommodate me. I then noticed the flashing light on our phone indicating a voice mail message. This message was asking me if I liked the arrangement and if I wanted to make any modifications.

All I asked for was another sheet. Yet Rosario took it a step further, just to serve me. Wow. Now that is customer service the way Jesus taught (see verse below)

“If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”
Matthew 5:41

In my last post I shared about the negative power false beliefs can have upon us. As I mentioned in that post, I have recently discovered some that I have entertained. One such belief was that I was responsible for my wife’s happiness. As a result of this belief, a lot of internal tension was created in me. When she did not appear to be happy, it caused me to try to “fix” her or the situation. Very stressful for me and quite frustrating for my wife. Yet, I continued on with my behavior because of my faulty thinking.

Thankfully, several months ago, God began to reveal this to me and I am now in the process of transforming, or changing this behavior, by renewing my mind as instructed in Romans 12:2. I have several declarations that I state out loud every morning. One of them is this, “I am not responsible for Connie’s happiness!” As silly as this sounds, this has been very helpful and is helping me to see my behavior for what it is. As a result of this, I am now starting to understand how, in certain situations, I attempt to take responsibility for other people’s happiness as well and how this has been a prison of sorts for me.

I cannot tell you how freeing this process has been for me. It really lends credence to the words of Jesus Who said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

A friend of ours named Cindy (not her real name) recently shared an incredible story about her son Bob (not his real name) who is in the 8th grade. Though I have never met him he sounds like an amazing kid. Anyway, he was just accepted into a technical high school. Why is this news?, you may ask. Because he has Asperger Syndrome which is a form of Autism. He currently attends a school designed for children with special needs.

Cindy recently met with the administrators of this high school and also had the administrators of Bob’s current school present. At the end of the meeting, the high school leaders invited Bob to attend their school in the fall. According to Cindy, when her son accepted the invitation, Bob’s current school leaders were grinning from ear to ear. It seems that Bob is the first student in his school’s history to “break out” into a traditional school. A milestone had been achieved and Bob’s school representatives could not have been prouder.

This got me thinking a bit about how similar Bob is to a guy named Roger Bannister (pictured above). Bannister was a famous runner from England in the 1950s. At that time, all experts claimed that it was humanly impossible to run a sub-four minute mile. This false belief existed for years and was reinforced when runner after runner failed to break the mythical mark.

On May 6th, 1954 however, Roger Bannister posted a time of 3 minutes 58.8 seconds. In fact, in that race, John Landy finished second with a time of 3 minutes 59.6 seconds showing the world that this feat truly was possible. The interesting thing about this is what happened after this. Just 46 days later, Bannister’s record was broken and today sub-4 minute miles are expected from the world’s elite runners.

So what held back runners prior to this time? At least part of their hindrance was a false belief that it was impossible to break four minutes. The same might be said of students, teachers and administrators in Bob’s school. They may have had a false belief that it was not possible for a student in their school to attend a traditional school.

I told Cindy that I thought Bob was a “barrier breaker.” He is the Roger Bannister of his school. I believe this will be the start of something in the coming years in his school. All because a false belief has been removed. I believe that this all started because of the true belief and faith that Cindy and her husband had in Bob. As a result, he was not operating with the same false beliefs that others around him may have had.

It’s interesting that this came up during this season in my life as I have been discovering some false beliefs that I have had as well. I have been going through the process to replace those with truth.

I would like to encourage you to do the same and take an inventory of any false beliefs you may have had and begin to replace those with the truth. As the verse below tells us, we must “renew our minds” in order to be transformed. And as the examples of Bob and Roger Banister have pointed out, our transformation can help others as well.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

I just completed reading Os Hillman’s book, The Upside of Adversity. This fantastic book really spoke to me and I believe it will speak to anyone who is going through, or has gone through, difficulty in their lives. Perhaps one of the most important keys to overcoming adversity is perseverance. Here is what my friend Os shared about that:

Perseverance is the key to every great accomplishment because nothing of lasting value has ever been achieved without adversity. Industrialist Henry Ford is one of the great success stories of American history, but he failed in business five times before he succeeded. A Ford Motor Company employee once asked his boss the secret of success, and Henry Ford replied, “When you start a thing, don’t quit until you finish it.”

The path ahead of you is strewn with obstacles. People will oppose you. There will be financial setbacks, time pressured, illnesses and misfortunes. Some of the biggest obstacles will be inside of you: self-doubt, insecurity, procrastination, worry.

Perseverance, Paul says, is the virtue God uses to build our character in times of adversity: “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom. 5:2-4). When we persevere through adversity, we win the approval of our Lord Jesus Christ, who told the suffering church at Ephesus, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance…You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary” (Rev. 2:2-3). That I’m sure, is the same commendation Joseph received from God when he passed the Perseverance Test.

Perseverance is a refusal to quit. It’s falling down 100 times and getting back up 100 times. We need to remember that perseverance is not a matter of forcing doors to open; it’s standing in front of the doors as long as it takes before God chooses to open them.

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God,
you will receive what he has promised.
Hebrews 10:36

Have you ever felt really small and inconsequential? I know I have at times. How about feeling like you are so far away from what you believe God made you to be…like you have SO far to go? Yep, me too.

I have to tell you that I can be very impatient with myself. When I find something that needs to be changed, I want it done now. I want to be the person I was meant to be immediately. I don’t want to go through a process to get there—that usually means work and effort and patience. I want to skip all that and just get there now. Unfortunately, this isn’t the way it works. The same is true with most things. Consider a tree. How does a tree become a tree? At one time, that tree was nothing but a seed and it went through a long, difficult process to be the tree it is today.

If you’re feeling small or far away from who God made you to be, consider this: Inside every acorn resides the DNA of a mighty Oak. Isn’t that great? Inside every acorn resides the DNA of a mighty Oak.

This could describe you and me as well. We were made for greatness. We are sons and daughters of God. We have His DNA, the DNA of royalty! It’s true about each of us. We must remember this for those times we’re feeling unimportant. It is also important to remember that, just like the acorn, we must go through a process (and sometimes a very long and difficult one) to become the “mighty oaks” we were made to be.

In order for an acorn to grow, it must persevere through difficult weather conditions: droughts, floods and storms. And, it must be patient and let the growing process take place. However, before any of that happens, that acorn must die. Jesus said this in John 12:24: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

We must do the same: die to ourselves, persevere and be patient. Actually this isn’t something we have to do. Jesus is really telling us that we have a choice in the matter. We can choose between remaining an acorn or dying to ourselves in order to become the mighty Oak He desires us to be. Dying to ourselves obviously isn’t fun. But look on the bright side. If we can truly get this, the perseverance and patience part will be much easier.

I was listening to a teaching on CD today in which the speaker mentioned that encouragement is literally “pouring courage” into someone. I really like that picture.

I have been wrestling through quite a few things lately in which I need to make some decisions. One in particular has felt very heavy to me. Recently I’ve been feeling as if God wants me to go in a way that could prove to be very unpopular with a certain group of people. Though I feel strongly He is leading me in this direction, I have been a bit apprehensive about it.

This morning I received a call from a good friend who, while driving, said that he felt led to call me. He continued to tell me some very specific things that confirmed what I had been hearing (really, it was incredible!). Then he began to speak some very encouraging words to me. I literally felt as if I had courage poured into me and I now have much more confidence in going down the path I am being led. I thanked him for his obedience and told him that he has no idea how much of an impact his simple phone call had on me. After hanging up, I thanked God for my friend and for our conversation and for Him caring enough about me to orchestrate that call.

When was the last time you were prompted to “pour courage” into someone? Did you follow through? The next time you feel that urge, encourage someone, it could make their day!

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11