This weekend while on the bus, I was reading the Steve Jobs biography – which is a fascinating read, by the way.  Anyway, Jobs, as you may know was into the whole Zen thing, and simplicity.  The book was comparing some of his ways to the German philosopher Nietzsche, who evidently wrote in his book Thus Spoke Zarathustra, “The spirit now wills his own will and he who had been lost to the world now conquers the world.”.  I don’t claim expertise in all of the ways to enlightenment, but I do see that those thoughts sound oddly familiar to this

 ³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Mark 8:34-37 New International Version (NIV)

and this

³³ Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. Luke 17:33 New International Version (NIV)

Of course the big difference being the guiding force – your own spirit or the spirit of the creator of the world?  Today, give up yourself, let the Spirit guide you, and the teaching of sacrifice and love light your way.

I saw this bumper sticker on a car yesterday.  I wish I was able to take a picture, but since I was following the vehicle, it was hard to get out my camera and drive at the same time.  The sticker said:

My other tractor is my neighbors.

It the end it was just an advertisement for Tractor Supply’s neighbor day, but boy, it sure made me pause for a while, trying to figure out the meaning.

And then it hit me!

Oh, I have my tractor that I take care of and then I take care of my neighbors tractor as well.  Just like it was my own.  Hm.. interesting message– one that sound’s sort of familiar.

The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  Mark 12:31 NLT

4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others Philippians 2:4 NKJ

Are you taking care of your neighbor’s tractor?

So its Monday, and today he cursed a fig tree.

¹² The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. (Mark 11:12-14, New International Version, ©2011)

I have heard some people say this was a selfish action of the part of Christ. However, I believe he was making an example through the figs.  (This is getting a little bit theological here, but not real deep because I am not sure I am that deep of a scholar.)  Some others say this is a example of the religious leaders of the day– probably.  But I was thinking this morning while I was rushing about, and looking for a cat who was hiding very well ( he will be made an example this evening).  Anyway, I think this shows the burning desire of the Christ for us to produce fruit.  Not to earn anything, not to show our own greatness, but in return for his gift. He created the fig tree, he created us.  He burns for us to produce fruit – the fruit of the spirit – the outcome of good done in His name.

So, just like on Friday with the rocks, I think it’s our job to not be found out of season, but to be constantly working to produce fruit – fruit that brings glory to Him.

And then, while you are thinking about the power of severe weather, take a moment to remember its creator.  First of all, is so amazing that the creator established such a diverse weather system, and that we can actually predict it with some reasonableness.  That design alone is magnificent.  But then consider the power and force that is packed into the extreme weather we see.  It is really awe inspiring to watch and study this things.  But even more awe inspiring is that the creator has control of this type of stuff and can control it whenever he wants, for instance, Moses crossing the Red Sea, or the storm calming after Jonah was thrown overboard or  the Christ and the storm:

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:39-41 (New International Version, ©2010)

I hope you participate in SWAW, and learn more about the powerful forces of nature that surround us, but also take some time to thank the creator and praise him for his magnificent creation.

¹⁴ “Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.
¹⁵ Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning flash?
¹⁶ Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
¹⁷ You who swelter in your clothes
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
¹⁸ can you join him in spreading out the skies,
hard as a mirror of cast bronze? Job 37 (NIV)

Last night while on what turned out to be a great run I was listening to Hillsong’s Mighty to Save.  There is one particular lyric that seemed to call to my spirit.

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

Isn’t this were a lot of us find ourselves.  We want to surrender, we want to give our lives to follow what we believe, but yet we sit and look around and see the scars of failures and the waste of fears.  For instance….(start the dream sequence)

Earlier this week, I was driving home and stopped at a traffic light downtown.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone slowly crossing the road.  I was deep in thought and didn’t pay too much attention, until I noticed that standing right in front of my truck was a man, dressed in dirty clothes, standing on crutches staring at me.  Then he reached down and held up a piece of paper that had words written on it in magic marker.  The words said something like “Help me feed my Family”.  I sort of just sat there in disbelief, sort of dumbfounded.  I was thinking things like “what did they just say on Sporttalk(local afternoon radio sports show )?”, “What happens if the light turns green, do I just beep my horn or simply run this dude over?” and finally – “What should I do?”  I was so surprised by the boldness of this guy that I really didn’t know what to do.  There I was stuck at the like, this guy in front on me, staring, his eyes pleading, and I am kind of like ‘Are you looking at me?’  So in sort of a disgusted way, I shook my head.  He looked down disgusted and walked the rest of the way across the street.  What’s interesting is our disgust was the same.  He was disgusted with me; I was disgusted with, well ME.

The rest of the way home I thought about this guy.  I really don’t know what was up.  He could be the number one scam artist in Chattanooga – but probably not.  He was probably just a man in need.  And there I sat with what I think is MY money in MY pocket, driving MY truck going home to MY house to eat MY dinner.  ‘Get out of my way homeless dude, I have MY stuff to do.’  Mine, mine, mine.  But yet, I will sing with all my might,

“Now I surrender”.

Yesterday was evidently National Good Neighbor Day.  And surprisingly this one is actually backed up by a Senate Resolution.  I can’t believe I missed it.  But not to fear, one of your fellow ‘buffeters’ pointed it out to me.   So, I thought back to this guy. And I thought about how easy it has been to make it about me this week.  Not just with dude in the street, but with my boys, with my coworkers, and with my friends.  Interestingly Jesus tells us multiple times that the second greatest commandment in the whole wide world is “Love your neighbor as yourself”. (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 19:18-20, Matthew 22:38-30, Mark 12:30-32, Luke 10:26-28, Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:13-15, James 2:7-9).  Paul in his Galatian letter said it summed up the ENTIRE law!

Argh…

“all my fears and failures…”

I am so glad that we live in the age of Grace ( can I hear an Amen – or just add it to the comments!)  I am so thankful that I don’t have to earn the love of Christ.  That the love of God is freely given.  That forgiveness is freely given and that it’s really not at all about me.

And that’s what is so perplexing.  I got it for free, but yet I find it so hard to share.  It’s not mine, I am just blessed to live in the light of his glory, and to have it light my way.

Anyway, today’s a new day, filled with new chances, new opportunities and new moments – and he does “take us as he finds us”.  It seems to me that everyday should be Good Neighbor Day.

As some of my coworkers say “Do the Needful”

“Shine Your light and let the whole world see”

There was something this morning just urging me to go downtown.  It’s a thing called people. ( Now for someone with a previous Meyers Briggs score of INTJ people usually don’t cross my mind). However there was something today about people, and about being able to impact them.  Can you impact people remotely – sure-  and I will find other days to work in the solitude of my home office, enjoying the views that it affords.  But today, there is something that says, maybe just staying at home  just because may not be the best?

(I know right now several of you are thinking – Are you crazy!!!  Stay at home!)

But I started thinking about these verses today:

1. Matthew 8:3
   Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
   Matthew 8:2-4 (in Context) Matthew 8 (Whole Chapter)
2. Matthew 17:7
   But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”
   Matthew 17:6-8 (in Context) Matthew 17 (Whole Chapter)
3. Matthew 20:34
   Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
   Matthew 20:33-34 (in Context) Matthew 20 (Whole Chapter)
4. Mark 1:41
   Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”
   Mark 1:40-42 (in Context) Mark 1 (Whole Chapter)

It’s not that there’s a command there, and its not that I am going to go around touching people today and healing them.  But there is something about presence sometimes that is important.  There is something about personal interaction that’s good.

So, today, I will go off and see how I can impact people face to face, versus over the phone.  How will you “touch” those you come in contact with?

Maybe today holds something incredible? (or maybe I am really insane)

I thought about them, and the beauty that surrounded them.  As I watched the guys in their fatigues driving up and down the beach talking and watching the tourists, I wondered.  As I studying the guys on the BP boats and watched them sitting on the rails talking and driving around in circles, I wondered.  ( Incidentally, I also found the job I wanted.  In this group of boats there was one pontoon boat with a port-a-potty strapped on board.  That’s the job I want – to drive the potty boat!)  Anyway, I wondered, will these guys be so lulled to sleep by the beauty that surrounds them that when the oil shows up will they miss it at first?

And then I thought about our lives, and how easy it is to be lulled to sleep by the “beauty” that’s around us, that we miss what we are looking for.  (I know this analogy breaks down here, as the things around us are more like the oil and what we are looking for is more like the beach!)  But really, I think we can get caught up in the everyday stuff and miss the goodness that we are blessed with.  So today, be diligent and watchful, not only for the return of our Savior, but for the blessings of life that are right around you today.

³²“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Mark 13:32-34

³¹Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” ³²So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.  Mark 6:31-32 (New International Version)

Next week there will be some treats in store for the Buffet, as I know just because I am resting that the remainder of you are still out in the world, training and buffeting yourself each day.  So here is a little video that may keep you going.  Its by Weezer.  Evidently this song is the theme song for our tension loving soccer team, and since they go up against Ghana tomorrow, I thought it would be appropriate.  Its called Represent.

The chorus here is very interesting

You know it
It matters how you play the game
It matters that you can take the pain
You don’t wanna lie, steal or cheat your way to the top ohhh
It matters what your people think
You represent your family
But that’s just one more reason to see that it matters whether you win or lose

Well, as much as I like soccer, and as much I want the US to win. ( I did by the way take a run around a section of cubicles with my hands in the air screaming GOOOAAAALLL after the 91st minute goal on Wednesday)   As much as that’s true.  There’s only one thing where it does matter if you win or lose, and that’s a life full of love and the spirit,  given over to our Savior.  That’s how you Represent!

³⁴Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? ³⁷Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:34-37

Enjoy the Week.  Cheer for the Yanks, and Represent!

³⁴Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵For whoever wants to save his life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? ³⁷Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:34-37 NIV

So the thought that has been swirling is how do we do that?  How do we give ourselves? How do we lose our lives?  Any ideas?  Post them in the comment section.

^34-37Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for? (Mark 8:34-37, The Message)

Anyway, yesterday I received an email about a band call Family Force 5.  They are a  Christian crunk rock band. That’s usually not my type of music, but it’s still intriguing to me to see people use so many different ways to spread the message of the Christ.  One of their songs is called “Love Addict” and the music video has over 3.5 million hits on YouTube.  This song contains the following lyric:

Hold Up! Wait a minute! Put a little love in it!

That sort of reminds me of Paul in 1 Corinthians

¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. ( The Message)

I mean really, if I have everything, but I don’t have love what do I have.  And that is the message of the Christ.  Check it in Mark:

³⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? ³⁷Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:35-37 (New International Version)

So today, whether you like crunk rock or not ( and I think I am starting to!), sing it out:

Hold up, Wait a minute, Put a little love in it!

Can’t kick the habit,

I’ve got to have it,

I’m what is called a

Love Addict

Love Addict