Vol. 17 No. 47 | November 24, 2014

Do everything readily and cheerfully — no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.(Philippians 2:14-16, MSG)

What would it be like to live in a world, in a church, in a workplace, or in a home where no second-guessing is allowed?

You would never remind everyone who will halfway listen that if you were the president of the United States you would never make the decision he made.

When teachers when make an assignment there will be no chorus of “Are you serious?” coming from the class.

When a referee makes a call no coach would yell from the bench, no player would stomp down the court, and no fan would scream at the top of his lungs, “Are you crazy? That is a horrible call!”

When the boss makes an assignment employees would simply smile and get busy completing the task.

When a parent asks a child to get busy cleaning their room without comment the room would get cleaned.

When a life long friend informs you that she is leaving her job for mission work in a poverty stricken country on the other side of the world the only response you give is that of encouragement and complete support.

When your daughter says she is in love and wants to get married the only thing you can say is that you love her and cannot wait for the wedding.

When the elders make a difficult but prayer-bathed decision there would be no threats of leaving or resistance to their authority.

When a husband tells his wife he cannot continue to work under the stressful conditions of his job and needs to make a change she hugs him and says she is supportive.

Those might be some of things we would experience if we were to live in a world, in a church, in a workplace, or in a home where no second-guessing is allowed.

Am I dreaming? Is this foolish thinking? Am I naive? Are you second-guessing me?

Apparently the Lord felt it is not an impossibility since He guided Paul to write those words. It does not matter what kind of Bible you read from the message is the same.

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing,” (NIV)

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing;” (NASV and ESV)

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” (KJV)

Can you imagine such a world? Can you imagine being a person that never second-guesses, or grumbles, or complains, or argues? This text is not written only to that annoying person who always second-guesses you; it is also written to you. Do not second-guess that. It is true. It is also written to me.

What would it be like to live like that? You would “Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night.” (Message) “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (NIV)

I think it is possible. I think it is worth trying. I think a world like that would be absolutely wonderful. Even if you think differently please do not second-guess me.

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 46 | November 17, 2014

 
Relationships! Whew! To say relationships are difficult to cultivate and maintain is a major understatement.

A significant portion of our lives are consumed with trying to create, understand and improve our relationships. We read books. We attend lectures and seminars. We ask friends for advice. We seek the wisdom of experienced. We lose sleep over relationships. We stress over relationships. We cry over broken relationships and we shed tears of joy when relationships mature and last for years.

Marriage relationships are difficult. Parent and child relationships stretch us to our limits. Friendships keep us perplexed. Spiritual relationships can be extremely disappointing due to our expectations that come from the fact that we are dealing with people of like faith and similar thinking.

Relationship gurus offer a variety of suggestions for improving our relationships. Better communication. Spend more time together. Spend better time together. For men: talk more. For women: talk less. For both: listen more and better. For parents: ask the right questions, ask questions in the right way, watch your tone when asking questions, and don’t ask too many questions.

In writing to a group of Christians who were dealing with some critical relationship matters that were threatening the spiritual harmony of the community, Paul offered simple but profound advice: “Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.” (Philippians 2:5, The Message)

That’s easy, isn’t it? Just think about yourself the way Christ thought about himself. No problem.

Another version called it an attitude: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5, NASB)

Another calls it a mindset: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

The mindset, the attitude of thinking like Christ involves becoming a servant. The original language indicates it is the lowliest of the servants. To live like Jesus, to treat others like Jesus treated people, requires us to empty ourselves of our natural tendencies and replace them with the tendencies of God.

To be like Jesus we must replace our arrogance with humility. To be like Jesus we must practice a level of obedience and submission beyond anything that would come to us naturally. It requires an obedience that would enable us to give our very life should it come to that.

Here is how Paul described it:

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11, NIV)
Relationships! Whew! What do you do? Start here: Have the attitude of Jesus.
Tom
© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 45 | November 10, 2014

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:3-4, NIV)

“The preacher often reads from one of those new Bible versions that uses really modern and often casual language. I just don’t like it. I’ve asked him about it, but he says it is easier for some people to understand than the version I like. I wish he would stop using it.” Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

“Our church is changing. There are so many new people. I hardly know any of them. They dress differently. Some of those young men make me a little nervous. I’m not sure I like the way things are changing.” Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

“What’s the deal with the songs we sang today? They were so slow. I don’t think any of them were written in the last one hundred years. I guess some of the older people like them but why do we have to sing them.” Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

“You would not believe what the elders are talking about doing at church. They are asking us to volunteer to work for one hour a week on some kind of service project in our community. I am too busy. I don’t have time for that.” Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

“I know those people need help. But it’s not my fault that they are out of work. Why do I have to help them?” Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

“The church budget seems to be really out of balance. So much money goes to the young people. They are always taking but what do they give back?” Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

“I am sick and tired of the elders getting up and asking us to increase our giving. I work hard for my money. What I do with my money is my business.” Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

“I don’t care how much they talk about being more involved at church, my time is my time.” Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

We spend a lot of time in our churches and spiritual communities trying to make sure that things are done the way we like. We spend a lot of time trying to control how things are done. We get angry when we do not get our way. We threaten to leave if our voice is not heard. We fuss and fight and gripe and complain. We do everything within our power to make sure church life goes according to our plans. In the process we create unrest, weaken the harmony of the church, and destroy the unity of Christ’s Body.

It is not supposed to be this way. Church is not supposed to be this difficult. We can do better. The solution is really much simpler than we might think. It starts with what Paul said, “Value others above yourselves.”

Tom
© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 17 No. 44 | November 3, 2014

“Make my joy complete.” Those are Paul’s words in Philippians 2:2. He follows it with an explanation on how to make it happen. “By being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” His desire was unity.

Jesus prayed for the same thing shortly before He went to the cross,

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23, NIV)
Complete joy comes from being united in love, spirit and purpose.
You see it when a team wins a championship. We saw last week when the San Francisco Giants won their third World Series in the last five years. The pitching staff did their job. The fielders did their job. The batters did their job. The coaching staff did their job. The fans did their job. By working together, by being like-minded, by being united in spirit they win championships, and they experience complete joy.

You see it during a wedding reception. The bride and the groom were united in their decision to be married. The very language in the ceremony describes the oneness and union of hearts and spirits of the couple. The cooperation of both sets of parents, brothers and sisters, members of the wedding party, caterers, and all involved make the event a celebration of complete joy.

You see it when a life is transformed from the self-love to self-surrender. Everyone who has ever had a part in teaching, encouraging, nurturing, and praying for the new created one are rejoicing with complete joy because all involved have been like-minded, having the same love, and one in spirit and mind.

Paul was writing to a church when he suggested that they make his joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. His desire, his dream, his hope was that the Philippian church would make his joy complete by experiencing and displaying true unity.

What could we accomplish if we, God’s people, were like-minded, if we had the same love and were one in spirit and mind? How many lives could be transformed? How many marriages could be saved? How many children could grow up in homes filled with love? How many churches would be reaching more people and impacting their communities? How often could we bring and experience complete joy if we would “be like-minded, have the same love, become one in spirit and of one mind.”

Paul had confidence that unity in the Body was possible. Let’s try. Let there be unity and harmony in our lifetime. Let us experience complete joy.

Tom
© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.