I think it’s the most important activity here on earth. Think about the “one anothers” in the Bible: love one another, be at peace with each other, be devoted to each other, honor one another, live in harmony with one another, stop passing judgment on one another, accept one another, serve one another, forgive each other… the list goes on.

So who are we going to ___ one another?

Other people silly!

Here’s why:

– We’re created in God’s image. How we treat one another is a direct reflection of the presence of Jesus in our lives. Our relationships with one another are as important to God as our bond to Him. That’s why He said go and make amends with your brother before coming to the altar. We’re impoverished without good, solid relationships with other people. We can’t assemble in a manner pleasing to God unless there’s unity. That’s built on the foundation of one-on-one interaction.

– Relationships with other people often define our best circle of influence. Think about it: from our interaction with our closest, most intimate compadre, to that brief encounter a complete stranger in a foreign country, we’re leaving an impression when we interact with other people. That warm smile in the grocery store several years ago may seem a little fuzzy than the high school sweetheart who’s fond memory is so sharp as if etched in stone.

– Relationships define our presence. They matter more than policies and procedures. Think not? Think again! You’re on an island without other people. Plus, we can accomplish orders of magnitude more when we combine our gifts and talents. God made us that way, to compliment each other.

Introvert? It’s all good, you still need presence. And relationships. Introverts are relationship people too. They just prefer perspective to bubbly socialization. They socialize easily but prefer not to. At least at the same frequency as their extroverted counterparts.

“God is not just looking for performance but is looking for presence.” Joby Martin

This is pretty huge because we can never live by the law. We can fulfill it only by acting in accordance with God’s love.That’s going to involve some other people. Relationships are important. Do all you can to make and nurture the good ones. Start by being likable. That requires transparency. Be genuine and open-minded. Show an interest in one another. Ask questions. Be consistently passionate and at the same time fun. Relationships matter. People matter. Smile, and you’ll go far!

“All Sorts And Conditions Of People: The 7 Essentials To Extraordinary Relationships” is my book about people and relationships. You can pick it up by clicking this link to Amazon.com.

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Pastor Joby Martin at the MLK Breakfast

MLK Day always seems to be a day of reflection for me. I get all sentimental and then up on my soap box. You can read some of what I feel is my best material, posted on this day the past few years, like “How To Win In The Endeavor For Peace” or “Religious Freedom: What Does Jesus Really Look Like These Days.” With the history of Jacksonville, Florida as the backdrop for my experience, I just feel we have come so far, then I see the current setting of new challenges for deeply rooted thinking that seems off-key… and I head off to type another “Peace, Love and Unity” post.

Is there shelter in unity?

I think to get to the place of unity we have to embrace vulnerability. White guys have to be eager to go to the MLK breakfast here in the south. Church people need to mix and mingle better outside of their small group and congregation… not down the street with the folks in the next country club, but across town (or globally for that matter) with people who need to know we care. Conversations need to take place despite adversity. Then, unity is achieved through diversity…

“We need to reach that happy stage of our development when differences and diversity are not seen as sources of division and distrust, but of strength and inspiration.” Josefa Iloilo

Is there shelter in unity?

Yes. There is when we ALL have the love of God painted on our hearts. Then, there will be no more poverty. Or discrimination. We won’t have to worry about walking safely down a dark alley either. On that day our differences will be our strengths as we will truly be one body. We see a glimmer of that in our world today… and for this we have hope.

“A great misunderstanding in the world is that we must wait until we feel safe to be vulnerable with other people. They must earn our trust and show us they will not take our wounds and cause them to bleed more. We misconstrue the wisdom of guarding our hearts, our life’s wellspring, as a command to build a fortress around them.

We are never safe from pain, and safety has nothing to do with vulnerability.

Vulnerability will hurt… It is a paradox: once we realize being vulnerable is never safe, we are then free to be vulnerable. We guard our hearts by giving them to the Guardian. We accept the fact that hurt will come. We see wounds as gifts. When this dramatic shift in our spirit occurs, fear no longer controls us.” Anne Marie Miller

Those black men who marched in Selma and in Jacksonville some 50 years ago had unity. They we also throwing themselves out there. Their vulnerability was answered with hostility. The unity these brave men carried was in their cause. Did they find shelter in unity?

The answer to that question is that it all depends on your perspective…

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. What, then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:28-31

Yea, they found shelter… and hope in their situation. Because they knew the Lord. They understood the bigger picture.

Is there shelter in unity? You can share your thoughts on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

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I was studying to teach in one of my disciple groups when it was duly noted the first time a word is used in the Bible is the purest meaning of the word. Pretty cool! So lets check out “Peace, Love and Unity” – since that is one of my awesome theme/categories here at I’m Just Thinkin’

Peace – In Genesis 15:15 the Lord says to Abraham: And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

So check this out: Abraham was engaged in conversation with the Lord, who had also appeared to him in visions. Shortly after a thick and dreadful darkness came over Abraham in his sleep, the Lord offered reassurance to him… that his descendents would indeed make it to the promised land, and that Abraham will pass away in peace. How touching that we can see the use of the word “peace” through death since we all struggle with our own mortality. Indeed, it is through the promise of Jesus, the cross and His resurrection that we can find peace in passing from this life to the next when we believe that we will have eternal life.

On to the next…

Love -  Once again, the Lord came to Abraham in a dream or vision to help comfort him…

And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. Genesis 22:1-2

Interesting that it didn’t come up during the time of Adam and Eve. However, when we put “love” into its most powerful and meaningful context we get a taste of what is to come – what could be a more perfect definition of love than the verb in action… Abraham’s love for his son Isaac… and in God’s love for Jesus… and each of us too! As we have dived into the Old Testament at church I have grown to appreciate more and more how perfectly it is woven together.

Part III of the my trinity…

Unity – Psalm 133:1 – Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

This is a powerful passage. We could literally dwell on every word here. Behold – an expression encouraging us to take note, observe or witness… used here for emphasis. Likewise, the verse ends in an exclamation mark! Good and pleasant… these point to the common tagline for Psalm 133: A Song Of Ascents, or the Joy Of Harmonious Relationships. Holy wow, how more appropriate for David to start this verse than to share how special it is for us to live in a state of unity. So we can think of unity here as wholeness. Functioning and behaving as a united body of believers is pretty important. It also tells the rest of the world about us… who we are, what we believe, how we chose to roll with it.

Finally, you may have picked up on the fact I’ve used the King James Version in quoting scripture here. Why? Well as I went through this study I found different first uses of key words in different versions in the Bible. That’s significant for this exercise as we need to find the first use in its purest form… that is commonly accepted to be in the KJV.

Pick a word and have a go at this! Check out the search tool in many online Bibles -  I used bible.com. Use the King James Version. What word did you research to identify the first use? Where is it found in the Bible?

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Have you ever uttered these words? Or perhaps you have been nagged for eons by the wisdom you would like to share but just don’t feel it is the right time or place. So today I thought I would lay out the why and when you should say what you need to say. Or not.

First of all, we have to carefully determine if we are in a place where sharing our thoughts or opinions is going to be helpful. Let’s just suppose you and I had a little falling out (ok, it happens). No matter how tactfully I may hand the situation, it is unlikely that I’m now in a place of admonishment.

Admonishment…

Yep, the land of sharing our opinion of a wise or proper course of action. It’s not about you, it’s about the person who desperately needs our help.

Next up: speaking the truth in love. Do you genuinely care for and want to help this person in need? Right there is the why.

“Ground wisdom in His words… not yours.” Michelle Myers lit it up with “when life is so much more complicated than uttering the dude word”

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:14-16

Always seek to build  the other person up – knowing in the short-term it may be difficult for them.

I often find I’m more likely to share my thoughts and opinions with my daughters than with a co-worker. That’s fine, I may even pull of admonishment with a relative using a quip. If the co-worker is smoking cigarettes I am probably going to be more likely to offer them encouragement to quit if we share a close friendship.

Of course, we can choose the venue…

And the when?

Remember from Ecclesiastes, there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… a time to be silent and a time to speak…

and sometimes not… consider the nosy neighbor…

So I had a fellow blogger ask for some input recently. This friend is rather accomplished… bestselling author… tons of fans, followers and likes. I think he knows me well enough to discern that I’m not a pundit but simply an honest fan, so I shared with him that it often seems he is more interested in advancing his own kingdom than that of the Lord.

That’s the why and when you should say what you need to say…

One more thought:

Let’s say you find yourself on the other end of the stick, someone is sharing their wisdom with you this time around. Here’s some great advice:

Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

Test everything to see if it jives with God’s word. Disregard the shower of Babel…
His word is perfect and complete. Need we say more?

What suggestions can you provide for “helping a brother out” through admonishment?

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“What a man can be, he must be. This need we call self-actualization.” Abraham Maslow

Here’s my take of Maslow’s theory from the ground up:

I started talking dude before I can remember, when I was just a little dude. Maybe that’s an attachment theory by-product I don’t know… somewhere along the way, early on, I stepped beyond the physiological basics – breathing, food, water… and on to the next level of dude. Yes, this is the basic building block in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Let’s take a look at the further progression in the life of dude…

The second block up the road to fully developed is centered on the theme of safety or security. Most folks find this to be sort of second-nature, like the physiological needs, once they reach adulthood. Prior to reaching adult status we are pretty dependent on other people to provide these basic needs. Still, this is the low hanging fruit, the stuff that many of us take for granted at times in our daily walk – personal and financial security, good health, and developing a safety net for the times of crisis.

Maslow contended that, as an individual, if we have to spend considerable time and effort tending to these most basic needs that we can’t progress further up the ladder toward self-actualization, and being all that we can be. I get that part, it makes sense when you consider the struggles and setbacks that so many in the world today face with famine, plagues or even cancer, and natural disasters.

Next comes the need for love and belonging. This is where life gets interpersonal. We develop relations within our families, with friends and more intimate relationships too. Some small and large groups of people can fulfill these needs within our community or even in part through an online social network. This category fills many of our social needs, including acceptance.

Life gets more complex at this point… call it the onset of existential anxiety in the absence of authenticity… or the realization that we need something more than ourselves to experience fulfillment in this life. That whole notion, to me anyway, is placed in the heart and soul by the One who defines love – our Lord and Savior.

It is interesting to me in my rather brief study of Maslow’s theory how the “needs” develop from taking to giving at this point in the pyramid. Healthy, pure, unconditional love is given and not taken as the previous needs are defined. Remember, it is in giving that we receive…

Esteem is next to the top of the food chain of needs. This has to start within oneself, and then as an outward expression of respect for others. Feelings of personal accomplishment and achievement fit in here too.

The down side of this esteem thing, in our world today, seems to be despair, or a loss of hope. Hope. Where do we find that one? Yep, there is just one place we find hope. Knowing God is in control gives me hope. We have hope in God’s nature and promise…

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. Hebrews 6:17-20

And about that respect thing…

Self-actualization is at the top of the pyramid in Maslow’s theory. It is achieved by people with healthy personalities and minds. Maslow believed that for an individual to understand this level of need they would have to master the previous needs. Further, self-actualization may for the basis of our calling or reaching our full potential – sometimes. Who’s to say the widow raising 5 children in the slums of Haiti isn’t fulfilling God’s will while continually stuck trying to meet basic needs for her family. Or my friends in the Bahamas who look forward to fishing every Wednesday afternoon – perfectly content to be living in the Lord and well below our standard for poverty. Indeed, from their point of view, they are living the dream of self-actualization – maybe they have all the rest of the building blocks here, and maybe they don’t – but they have certainly found contentment and have God’s hope in their hearts.

Noticing things…

So where do people get hung up on the road to self-actualization? Many lose out at the turning point from taking to giving. You see, self-actualization as a concept is fine once we realize it’s not all about me. Once we learn and then put into action love and respect our self and then others, the door is open. That all centers on identifying with our Maker and what Jesus taught us. I’m jumping on the soap box and letting you know -  Reaching your full potential to self-actualization and being great centers on love and respect. (Click To Tweet)

Why do I mention all of this?

“A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.” Abraham Maslow

So it’s about finding hope… and peace, within our self and in the world around us. It’s also about identifying with our Maker and focusing on our calling.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to His disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:30-32

Self-actualization can’t be achieved by the self-righteous any more that it can by the one who is stuck grasping to fulfill their basic needs. While I admire Maslow’s work and the basis for it, a study of highly “successful” people including Albert Einstein, Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt and Frederick Douglass, many intellectuals face a different battle in their quest for achievement, success and identity.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 2:18-19

Where there is Jesus, there is hope. There is also direction, contentment and peace that transcends understanding. That, to me, is the full meaning of life. Finding His way and plan for me, as the Lord gave me my spiritual gifts and talents to use to His glory. It’s really not all that much about me, when you put it in the proper context. It’s all about where you find your identity. Do you find that in yourself, or in Jesus? That, to me, is the centering of self-actualization – where do we find our identity?

Image courtesy of J. Finkelstein on wikipedia.com

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Image courtesy of Collin Anderson on flickr.com

The more I learn about unity the more I realize it’s a big picture type of concept. The drive of unity focuses us on what we have in common as opposed to our differences, which tend to separate us. (Click To Tweet)

Abram and Lot shed the light of God on our idea back in the book of Genesis. The two men were herders of livestock and traveled together from Egypt to Negev and then Bethel in Chapter 13. Well, the land there couldn’t support them both. Quarrels broke out amongst their herdsmen. Yikes. Abram, being Lot’s uncle, could have just taken up and resolved the matter however he saw fit. However, he offered Lot first choice, saying “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go left, I’ll go right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

Abram, being a sound leader, took the initiative to resolve the conflict. He took the higher road for the sake of unity. This all took place in the midst of hostile neighbors. Even today believers allow the evil one to dwell in their midst when they gossip, point fingers and focus on differences instead of the amazing grace and the love that brings us together.

Unity demands we recognize that everyone will never agree on everything, and that we accept this. The  devil is in the details. According to usingenglish.com, the idiom means “When people say that the devil is in the detail, they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on.”

Details are to unity as gossip, rivalries and disagreements are tools of the devil – a mechanism to bad news.

Through the example of Abram and Lot, we find unity moves forward through the following initiatives:

– Having an attitude of goodwill, the spirit of cooperation and love, is the greatest unifying force. Abram put others first for the sake of unity.

– We’re able to unite for the sake of conquering common goals when we set our minor differences and personal agenda’s aside, and focus on the big picture.

– Jesus prayed for future believers in John 18: 20-21, “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.”

Though Abram and Lot had to part company, they did so remaining as one body of believers. We can rest assured that as believers in Jesus we can always unify as one.

So God made an intricate design in each of us. His design is for us to fit together, perfectly, and complimentary. Like a puzzle, each piece fits together in just the right place. Together, they make a beautiful picture of unity in our world today.

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Remember when it rains… there will be gracedrops.

“When it rains it pours.” Know it? Yep, the Morton Salt weather idiom that says when things go wrong, it seems a lot of things go wrong at the same time. Yuk how it works out that way sometimes.

Here’s my positive silver lining spin for today on getting drenched:

Jesus said, “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” Mark 9:50

Believers are thought of as the salt of the earth, the covenant leaders who help advance God’s kingdom here. Why salt? Well, it’s symbolic of the presence of God in our lives because salt penetrates and preserves. It’s also a healing agent. That’s what He did with His awesome showers of gracedrops.

Gracedrops, what’s that all about?

So you know I wrote a book about the water. It’s “The Wellspring Of Life,” set to be released on March 15th. Super soaked and stoked about it! Gracedrops are flavor that I tossed out while writing The Wellspring, they’re the cleansing shower of love that God provides. Gracedrops are in the chapter with kerplunk and pitter patter. There are scientific formulas that go along with my theories on the heart… here’s a very brief excerpt:

Flavor + Favor + Gracedrops = The Perfect Storm!

Remember, what goes up must come down – what are you sending up and out of your heart? Look around and see what you’re receiving in return…

Did you know that…

kerplunk + pitter-patter = ker-thump?

Confused? Please don’t be.

Just remember…

– Showers are a good thing because they bless us with puddles of gracedrops.
– When it rains it pours… salt that is.
– One can never get too drippy juicy wet.
– March 15th is the day to pick up “The Wellspring Of Life”

When it rains it pours.

Gettin’ good and salty with gracedrops.

Thankful.

Image courtesy of nitsrik on flickr.com

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The 1964 US World’s Fair.
The theme was “Peace Through Understanding”

So you know I’m a huge fan of Brene Brown. She writes this message about vulnerability, and how it’s ok. She’s spent a career focused on figuring out how this one word, vulnerability, will fix humanity. She found her calling and poured her heart out in a TED video. It went viral, and so did her popularity. So she’s a rock star in my book.

The coolest thing about Dr. Brene Brown and her vulnerability message is how liberating it is to just be yourself. I think of it as a rock star’s message for leading a rock star life. So I’ve been reading more and more about how the up and comers are different. Did they already figure out the secret sauce to being rock star? Maybe we can learn from them too. Iron sharpens iron. This is all quite fascinating to me.

The Barna Group says that:

– 75% of U.S. adults say they are looking for ways to lead a more meaningful life.
– 48% of Christian Millennials say God is calling them to different work, yet they haven’t made the transition.
– Only 40% of practicing Christians say that they have a clear sense of God’s calling for their lives.

So our church’s disciple groups are going through the Compass program for managing finances God’s way. What’s this got to do with being a rock star? Well, blending faith, work and finding my calling are all a big part of just being me. That’s what the Lord is calling each of us to do, to blend. That defines your rock start life.

This idea of calling – I’ve discovered that it usually has something to do with two factors:

– What are our spiritual gifts? These become evident some time after we believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. For me, it took several years after the act of acceptance, and only when I finally turned it all over to Him before I figured it out, and only then with the help of some other believers. Pretty cool how that works!

– How can we best apply our experiences. Again, mine are a unique blend of my education and life experiences, both good and bad, that have led me to the calling of including the theme of “Peace, Love and Unity” here in my community. Can you put your arms around applying yours?

This all boils down to how much we can accomplish with the time we have available.

When God made each of us with unique gifts and talents He didn’t anticipate that we would all end up working at the church. We’re called to ministry every day, just where we are. He needs our presence to be seen everywhere, and on every day of the week.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24

Just thinking out loud, these trends and desires are leading to a bit of a dilemma between the stage that has been set by our culture and society, and what our future is shaping up to look like.

The landscape has changed, from a traditional career path that once included a narrow, well-defined profession working for a handful of employers over a lifetime, to a freelance trail that may include multiple part-time gigs at the same time. The quest for meaning still remains the same – we’re all appointed to do it with the purpose of serving each other, and serving the Lord. Enter Generation Y.

Who are the Generation Y’ers? Interestingly, there was another generation not too long ago that resembles them in many ways. Check out this writeup.

Both the Millennials and the youth of the 60’s twerked off establishment. So did Elvis. Come to think of it I guess Jesus did in many ways, too. These newbies are rebellious hipsters. Neon beatnicks. The cause? The 60’s Rock Stars were called to end segregation, their modern-day equivalents are called to end homophobia. Jesus was called to unchain us from the shackles of living up to an unachievable standard. And Elvis, well, I’m guessing he was called to just shake, rattle and roll. Oh My… Emos.

The calling of your rock star life – it’s like a 60’s come as you are party… whatever it is that you may look like at the moment, don’t be embarrassed, just show up! Indeed, and in the olden days we couldn’t even journey to the grocery store without applying a thin veneer of makeup! Never smoked pot, or drove a Lamborghini? That’s OK, drag in the streets is still a crime in most states, Mr. Bieber. btw, I’m guessing that Mr. B’s success as a rock star maybe lead him down the wrong path. Sometimes success can do that to us. That’s Ok too, there’s still hope. We’re working on rapper Jay Z, right?

Why DO I relate to the Millennials? I think because my personality matches up with the creative freelance style, and it seems they also have a strong sense of community.

So, what to do with the freebirds? Accept these Millennials just as they are. So the cool similarity of the Y’ers and hippies is that both are comfortable in their own skin. Remember what Brene Brown is selling:

“You can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability” BB

Liberating Rock Star that we can all reach our calling just being our selfies.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

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Praise the Lord for Dr. King!

Since I’ve been writing this category, “Peace, Love and Unity,” in my community, Jacksonville, Florida, to God’s glory, I’m happy to say that I can see transformation and life change. That really inspires me, and speaks to the courage and strength of humanity.

Peace is an active pursuit, one that we’re called to as followers of Jesus.

It’s a part of that love your neighbor thing that Jesus was always talking about and lived out. Jesus came to earth and lived the perfect, sinless life as a man for one reason – so that we could each have an eternal and personal relationship with God. I’m so grateful for that. Interestingly, the Prince of Peace (that would be Jesus) wasn’t well received by many religious people. They didn’t understand Him and wanted something other than what He was offering. And so, they had Him removed from the face of the earth. It just so happens that this all played out in concert with God’s perfect plan. Since then, others have come to share the Gospel, and the theme of peace, love and unity. Paul was a follower of Jesus who was heavily persecuted in the same way. They used the same words in response to Paul’s teaching, “remove him from the face of the earth,” for Paul’s sharing the same message.

“Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions,” Prov.18:2

Our day of remembrance for Martin Luther King, Jr. always brings me back to the peace, love and unity thing. It warms my heart to know that this message is getting sticky, and that lives are being transformed.

The cool thing about peace is that it is just like success, it’s all about ambition. Pulling from my blog post just last week, we talked about how God defines and measures success – it begs us to answer the question, are we faithful to God’s ways? It’s based on ambition, not necessarily results. Peace is most definitely not just a lack of conflict, though that is a part of it. So you’re at odds with someone, and you want to do the right thing. Praise the Lord!

“Success if not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill

If there is one thing we can do as a society, one thing we can do to better our planet we should listen to the words of Jesus on this day… and build upon peace, love and unity.

Praise the Lord for those hearts that were brave enough to stand up for what was right 50 years ago. These are and have been many transformations of the hearts within people who didn’t want to hear the message, but repented and turned toward God anyway. Granted, my community is one that sits in the stinky armpit of disparity in the history of civil rights. Just read the history of it and you’ll see the same thing. Mr. King, Andy Young and many like them were beaten up here, and in the next town down, St. Augustine. Amongst the disparity to justice is inequality that I shutter to think of let alone recount what I have personally witnessed firsthand. The truth be told, it’s not one that only transcends racial boundaries. Anger and hatred remain the scourge to our communities.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Dr. King

I had the privilege to brush shoulders with Andrew Young, early in my career and during my brief stint as a big-company guy, organizing a leadership roundtable on environmental justice. Mr. Young was a consultant for our firm, based in Atlanta, and came to town occasionally as requested to help out. Barnett Banks was one of my big win clients and I shared a close relationship with their environmental manager and counsel. It just kind of dropped in my lap, so to speak, as others early in their careers were cutting teeth on the long road to becoming an executive. This was an early impression for me on the power, relevance and beauty of the Gospel, and how peace might work.

For me personally, I found my calling in the Lord and long ago bypassed the pomp and circumstance of marching to and across the stage of life for a prestigious title and the worldly rewards that may come along with all of that. It’s all relevant in sharing how I came to know the Lord, found peace and experience joy in the crazy world we live in today.

I’ve written about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Andy Young several times before. One of my favorite posts is focused on MLK Jr. and religious freedom. You can read it by clicking this link. Would you agree that Dr. King was successful in his pursuit of peace? I think so, and will try to explain how it’s done biblically.

How did we arrive at trying to find a peaceful perspective? Not just in where we are today, or right now. Thinking back to the time of Jesus and right behind him, Paul; and the time of MLK, Jr., 2,000 years later; and finally, in comparison to where we are today, there are still many parallels to biblical times. I guess in part it is all about human nature. However, in the spirit of peace, it means we come together, side by side, with people we don’t see eye to eye on every issue. We don’t ask or dispute, we just love. Please don’t take that for granted as it really is not the norm. People are not born racist, and we’re only born with one entitlement, the choice of eternal life in heaven, or the gnashing of teeth.

Peace should be a movement of intent focus for all people.

As someone who makes peace, we have to be guided and driven by our identity in Jesus Christ. God provides us with the tools to utilize in our quest for peace. Through the power of choice, we can turn from conflict, conform to the likeness of Jesus, and be an ambassador of reconciliation.

So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:16-19

Remember, the apostle Paul was christened the ambassador and appointed the servant to the Lord. At his darkest moment, Jesus appeared to Paul and turned him around on a dime. Paul’s hardened heart was changed, he went from the greatest persecutor and assassin of Christians to the dude who wrote the majority of the New Testament. He shared the Gospel to the ends of the earth, becoming the instrument God used to create radical change in the name of love, and peace.

Bear in mind many times all we need is love, and possibly a little time to overcome conflict. Reasonable people respond. If you find that isn’t the case, God’s word, our only offensive weapon in the armor outlined in Ephesians, is all we need to combat evil and conflict.

Start a list of “it is written’s” – write them on the tablet of your heart so that you may have them and be able to use them for your own benefit, and to help you in times of struggling for the right words to speak for the sake of peace.

Here’s one of my It Is Written’s: We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Be quick to listen. Seek Godly counsel, and keep doing what is right. Breathe grace. Gently restore, if necessary, by speaking the truth in love. Choose the right time and place, and speak only as a brother in love. Remember, the ultimate weapon is deliberate, focused love. Discern the deepest needs of those you are seeking to restore to peace, and fulfill their needs; if they’re thirsty, give them something to drink. This approach is one of great strength, courage and discipline.

Indeed, at that point it would be up to the antagonist to repent and fall in line, but that’s the choice they can make. Recognizing our limits, we can feel good about our actions and efforts, knowing that we’ve done all we can, and simply lay the matter in God’s hands. Boom, you just found peace.

This one short verse sums it all up:

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

Love rules, just like the song goes, “He rules the world with truth and grace.” As far as you are in control of, live at peace by loving everyone.

Peace is a legacy of hope, and one that matters.

The post How To Win In The Endeavor For Peace? first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post How To Win In The Endeavor For Peace? appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The year of the selfie – Do you see what I see?

The year of the selfie went on by like a bubble in a boiling pot….

Time for some Random Newness… whatever that may look like, dare I ask?

If we could turn back time we could change everything, but we can’t. Today is today and tomorrow is another just the same.

I’m not sure my advice on the future is any better than the next guy (and there will be quite a few who will share their thoughts in the next week) but I do know this: as of right now, there is no flux capacitor to turn back time, so we need to make the most of every moment and do the right thing, right now. The pastor at my church makes a relevant point this way: if I look at your past, and I look at the path you’re on now, I can pretty much tell what direction you’re heading in, and what’s in your future. I don’t need to be onboard Doc’s souped-up DeLorean traveling at 1.21 Gigawatts to get a grip. Eternity starts right about now; embrace it, live it, and walk it out. It’s all a part of finishing well. Think of it as the door to eternity opening on the day you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and turn it all over to Him. This twist on finishing well is a little different from convention. Sort of a fresh, new perspective. It may make flipping over a new calendar seem pretty small, but it will change your attitude on heading home. If you wait to make the decision to finish well until the sky tears open like a curtain you very well may miss the boat, train or spaceship.

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:13-18

The prospects in eternity are endless…

The Joy of The Journey to Peace, Love and Unity beings now…

 selfie courtest of tim ellis at flickr.com

The post Finishing Well first appeared on I'm Just Thinkin'.

The post Finishing Well appeared first on I'm Just Thinkin'.