Thursday, February 22, 2007

Bady Company


Yeah, it’s more than a popular band from the 70's & 80’s. Anyone can say the right words and act the right way for a short period of time, but the genuine person will eventually be revealed.

You see, if the person you are relating to has bad character, it will rub off on you. Don’t be deceived to think you are stronger than them, that you can resist, you can be salt and light to them. Your sin nature will attract to theirs and like a bug to a bug light you WILL get zapped! I like what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Who you connect with is who you will become, just give it time!

The bottom line is that we need wisdom in our relationships. Wisdom helps us make good choices at the right time. It helps us to say the right words in the right way so that those that hear them will receive them and be better off because of them. Wisdom helps us avoid embarrassing mistakes and from jumping to conclusions without knowledge of the facts. True character is discerned through wisdom. Wisdom is not concerned with doing but with being, thus it’s not easy to spot. So look for people with steady demeanor and attitude. Are they humble or self-centered? Are they genuine or deceptive?

Humility is the primary key to wisdom. You can’t gain or enact wisdom without it. Also, does this person hide in the shadows of life using excuses as their flash light to draw your attention away from the real problems? A genuine person will admit when they are wrong and learn from it. They are sincere and seek the other person’s good over their own. Remember, the decisions you make each day are the individual building blocks to your life. Make no mistake, if you lay a block the wrong way, it will have to be fixed or it will limit how high you can go.

I leave you with the Apostle Paul’s words to the church at Colossie. “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Colossians 1:9)

Character comes from Wisdom!

Thursday, February 1, 2007

So you think your a real man!

How many of has can recall that moment that changed our lives. Usually in today's society it's a phone call. For me it was just that! Last Christmas my father called me to inform me that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. As I hung up the phone I was flooded with thoughts and emotions. I could hardly think and all I was feeling was I am going to lose my dad!

Men, particularly in my family, approach life with an unbreakable attitude. We call it being a man! Thus we hid our real thoughts and emotions and take on anything that comes our way. We live life as business as usual taking each day and knocking it out. Then we visit the doctor one day, or we feel something that is not quite right in our “normal” routines. Combat pilots will tell you that it is not the bandit you see, but the bandit you don’t see that will get you. How true! Cancer is a unseen bandit and often it comes at you from your six in which it has a perfect shot to take you out.

You want to be a real man and take on all life can dish out, then make sure you take care of yourself and ultimately surrender your life to Christ. Cause in the end we all face our eternities.