Be who you are and nothing else

I'm not a home improvement guy... that has been made VERY clear to me. This week I dove into a project head first only to find myself drowning. A great friend and a fellow guy who loves teenagers as much as me came to my rescue. Tim Davidson, after spending 13 hours at my house yesterday helping me put a new shower/bath in my bathroom made me think about the following:

I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it.

Thanks Tim for being the right arm of my body... I'll treasure working with you yesterday FOREVER!


PS... if you're wondering Romans 12:3-10 The Message

You spin me around

One of the coolest things happened today! I started my day by dropping my car off with probably the most trustworthy student I've ever known. Kevin Martin, or K-mart as I call him. K-mart grew up Mennonite and I love the story that he is now at Blue Ridge, because those thoughts don't normally fit together.

K-mart is a mechanic at 18 years old and a darn good one from what I hear. He and his friends have offered their abilities and their Saturdays to take my '97 Mitsubishi Galant and make her road worthy once more. Notice I said offered... Kevin came to me... SO COOL! And such a show of their collective hearts.

Not only that, but I'm driving THIS:

Yes... that is a Volvo C70, and it is SWEET!

I LOVE STUDENT MINISTRIES, because I get to watch kids grow up. Kevin is a story of God. He's gone from not talking to anyone, to asking to fix my car and playing the electric guitar in our HS band.

I hope I can be a HS director until I die!

HIT IN THE FACE!

This post title to me is funny because I've literally been hit in the face and figuratively/spiritually been hit in the face today.

Let me explain...

LITERALLY (it's easier to start here)
I play basketball a few times a week with some friends, and from time to time I end up on a mismatch. Today was that day, and not in my favor. I was guarding Bob today... Bob's a big guy! Well, to keep the story short... at one point today, I went for the ball only to be met by some extremity of Bob's. I felt like I was punched... seriously, the last time I felt that... I was being hit by another guy in the boys bathroom in High School. It's hours later, and I can still feel it.

FIGURATIVELY/SPIRITUALLY
This was not much different honestly. I still feel it, and it still hurts. I like Podcasts... A LOT! And I have made it a habit to listen to them while I workout. I like to change my music too much to listen to music while I workout. So, today I'm listening to Andy Stanley... a series they did at North Point called "It Came From Within". The whole series has been eye opening, but this one was a HIT IN THE FACE!

He was talking about Greed, and honestly no one wants to call themselves greedy. Although as Americans... WE ARE A GREEDY NATION! So, anyways Andy makes a statement, which actually isn't his statement... it's God's from Matthew, he said this:

"If you're eyes are generous... you will be generous. If you're eyes are envious... you will be envious."

OUCH! WHO JUST PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE?

So many times I find myself looking at STUFF and thinking: "Why can't I have a cool car", "I want a basketball goal", "I want a plasma tv, blackberry, new macbook" stuff I don't really dwell on, but check this. I also get letters from kids who are going to China to help people see God in a more clear light, and the first thing I do is say "Well, I'll pray for you" giving isn't even an option for me.

My eyes and subsequently my heart... are not generous! Yet, I'm trying to raise two boys to be generous men. So, letter on my table from random student... you arrived at THE right time.