Yes, and that a pretty important part of life – especially for those who follow the Christ.

For the last year or so Andrew and I change the background of our home computer each month from to a background from the selection of month themed backgrounds at Smashing Magazine.  This month we could not find something we really liked, so I removed the August background and replaced it with this one:

Yes, it’s a great reminder to live with intention and get out and actually meet with people.  I’ll tell you, I need this reminder on a daily basis, because personally I am content to sit in my cube and interact with my monitors.  But the Christ as encouraged us to impact people, and we do that with interactions.

To wrap this up on this Friday, I thought this verse from Philippians would be perfect.  It seemed even more so since it happens that both boys were assigned this verse as their memory verse this week!!!

 ¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

But one thing I notice is that no one checks in at work.  Whats up with that?  I guess we have Adam to blame! You know the whole work curse thing!  We spend the majority of our lives at our place of employment, but we don’t allow ourselves to acknowledge the significance.  As a matter of fact the one time that I did notice that one of my friends ‘checked-in’ at his workplace, the one comment on that post was “Lame”.

So I was thinking today that I would check in at work, and I would check in with one thought on my mind – this one from Micah:

8The LORD God has told us what is right and what he demands:

“See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.” Micah 6:8 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

I determined this morning that this may help take some of the lameness out of the whole work thing, since it might just possibly help me look past the curse and to the influence I could exert on those people around me.  Maybe those concepts will make the work check-in just as interesting as the other fun places we go.  Well, who am I kidding, checking in at work will probably always be lame, but considering  justice, mercy and humility might change the way we consider the time we am there!

Give it a try.

Oh and here is an alternative ending!

 ⁸But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,

what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously. Micah 6:8 The Message

Colors on a Frosty Morning ( click for a larger version)

After I slapped out a plate of frozen waffles for my eldest to consume for breakfast this morning, I took a gander out to back windows to see this magnificent view above.  There’s nothing like the winter sunrise, especially when the sky is clear and dark blue.

It’s pretty impressive each day to see the light overcome the darkness each morning.  Its such a sign of hope and newness and in some ways a remember of our smallness.

Anyway, I hope that you find some enjoyment from that this morning, and that your Frosty Friday gets off to just as much of a colorful start.

And since it’s Friday let’s get the weekend going with a little Psalm of humility and praise from good ol’ King David.

⁴ “Show me, LORD, my life’s end

and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.
⁵ You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
even those who seem secure.

⁶ “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom;
in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth
without knowing whose it will finally be.

⁷ “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you. Psalm 39:4-7 (New International Version, ©2010)

I am not much of a Hip Hop sort of guy.  Usually the most hip hop I listen to is before football games when its blasting in the stadium, but I like this guy’s words and his message

I’m a F-A-N-A-T-I-C, Fanatic
I rep Christ till I D-I-E, Fanatic
I’m not extreme, I’m redeemed with faith
To serve a God whose extremely great
I’m a Fanatic – Lecrae

He and several of his co-rappers have just started on a tour this week called Unashamed.  I am pretty impressed with their message.  I think there something there to listen to.  Here is what Trip Lee (I think) says in the below clip “We are to serve our brother, serve our sisters , serve the Lord and humble ourselves and do whats necessary for the Lord to get the glory.”  That’s good stuff.  Take a listen:

It’s interesting that they have used Romans one one six (1:16) as a theme verse.  That seems like a pretty appropriate challenge for today

¹⁶I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Romans 1:16 (New International Version)

Are you ready to join the one one six clique and live a life where you are unashamed? It’s the Power!

Running with us or you can hate me, but it will be hard to shut us down…. (Shut Us Down)

But any way, back to Prayer Day.  It is the National Day of Prayer, and despite the constant emails and Facebook postings that Barry O canceled it, it’s still happening.  It’s good to take a day and pray especially for the country.  There are lots of challenges we face as a people, and I think that its good to take those to God.

Its also good to take your personal challenges there.  I mean check out 1 Peter 5:6-8 ( it is also a good verse for Joseph Bracket day, since it speaks of humility)

⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

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

Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.  Prayer is not just some ritual done to appease our own spirituality, we do it because He wants to hear it. Did you ever think about that. The Creator of the Universe wants to hear about your anxieties, because He cares about you!

That’s sort of the crux of this whole “I’ll follow Jesus” thing isn’t it.  He cares about you and wants  you to follow him and to talk with him and to share with him.  Its nice to be wanted isn’t it!

So enjoy the Day of Prayer and remember “‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free!”

But really it’s more than that – even though I am working within some pretty Dilbertesque parameters.   Its really more about helping people.  Without going into too many details about the whole thing, let’s just say it could be very easy for me to take a hands off approach, just smile and wave, keep everyone happy and move on.   But I don’t think thats the difference that we are asked to make in peoples lives.  I have been thinking alot ( like all year so far) about living to make those around me better.   It’s been a little silent mantra of mine so far this year at work.  Today is one of those opportunities when it is what the entire day is really about – making those around me better.

Isn’t that really the way we are called to live every day? (Remember the old children’s bible program acronym for JOY – Jesus Others You)  It seems to me that taking that approach everyday is  pretty good.  Check this quote out:

 
“To do something, however small, to make others happier and better, is the highest ambition, the most elevating hope, which can inspire a human being” John Lubbock quotes (English Biologist and Politician, 1834-1913)

And then there’s this little bit of encouragement from Philippians:

 ¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 (New International Version)

So today, go out and make those around you better.  Find ways to encourage those you come in contact with, and look out for their interests, not your own.

Anyway, as we continue to march (er April) through the week towards the great events of the weekend, its hard to pass over a quick look at Jesus washing his follower’s feet.

¹⁴Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. John 13:14

A really amazing example about leadership, and humility.  The Master places himself in a role of a servant to show the humility that his followers should demonstrate.  Boy, this is another of those difficult things isn’t it. Really, talk about an April Fool’s joke,  I mean, look, I am, well, ME.  and you are, well, of course, YOU.  Doesn’t everyone understand who WE are?  Like the t shirt from the 70′s “Its hard to be humble when you are perfect” or something like that.  (I still remember some girl in elementary school wearing that shirt.  She was not perfect!! )

But as followers of the Christ, we are given an example in humility with the footwashing and then later in the week with his humble submission on the way to the cross.  I mean look at the constraint he uses:

⁵²“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”  Matthew 26:52-54 (New International Version)

And so we are told to mimic this model, and to put others in front of ourselves.  Today, maybe, try this with one person and see how that impacts your relationship with them.

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
⁶Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.  — Philippians 2:1-11

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

The whole chapter has stuck with me, and that’s why Lane Kiffin is old news.  This verse is very profound, very threatening, even very motivating.  So today here are two things related to this verse.

First, a great example of a person doing their best to live this verse. A daily buffeter herself, this is a great story about a local school counselor doing her best to love and help others.  Hand WDEF’s Golden Apple to Jennifer Greer. (applause)

Second, a challenge, or an opportunity for you all to consider today.  Disasters are always a time when we can count our blessings, and continue to show the compassion we have been given.  Here is one place you can donate that will be working in the disaster zone in Haiti – Healing Hands International.

Look out for others today!