Category: Encouragement

Intended to encourage and uplift

My Offering Of Myself

Posted on by ricrorr

My value can only be found in the offering. My value cannot be derived from the reception of the offering. Many people try to derive their value from how the offering is received. They delay releasing a book because it may not be liked. They delay displaying a painting or giving a speech because of how it might be received. They delay applying for a desired job because they don’t believe they’re valuable enough.

This is a recipe for disappointment. This is a recipe for undulating emotions. This is a recipe for living life at the mercy of the emotional whims of others. 

I can only control what is being offered, the quality of what is being offered, and how it is being offered. I offer to God. My value is derived from offering my very best to Him using the talents given by Him. He rewards based on the offering and the heart from which it is received. When I have done my best, my part is complete.

I cannot control how the offering is received by the world. I cannot control what the world perceives. When I demand that an offering be received in a certain way, I take away the authority of the receiver to receive the offering using his or her own values.

This is a control issue – when I demand to derive value from both the giving and the receiving, I am seeking to control the receiver.

Sunflower Christians

Posted on by ricrorr

I live in a very rural area of North Carolina. There’s a lot of open and wooded land. There is an area called the Game Lands. It’s government owned. 

Each year, the administrators of the land plant fields in various crops. Corn, soybeans, and sunflowers seem to be frequent choices. The crops aren’t harvested, so I have to believe that the effort is to attract game to the Game Lands. I’m sure that they don’t plant stuff just for me to look at. 

This year, I have thoroughly enjoyed all the sunflower fields! I love the flowers. They’re bright, yellow and grow tall. They turn their faces to the sun. They have so much hope! None of them complain about where they’re planted, who their neighbor is, that the sun is too bright or the rain too cool, that bugs landed on them or bees stole some of the nectar, There’s no competition over which is the biggest. They grow where planted and bloom in their situation to the best of their ability.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Christians had that same attitude? I think I want to be a “Sunflower Christian”. I’ll show up with a sunny attitude and grow the best I can where God has planted me. I’ll give smiles to the world around me regardless of their political beliefs, economic status, life history, or whether they’re smiling at me.

God needs more Sunflower Christians! He has enough Cactus Christians – you know, the prickly ones that may bloom occasionally, but are mostly needling others and hurting feelings. Are you a Sunflower Christian or a Cactus Christian? Are you growing where you’re planted and doing the best you can with the situation at hand? God doesn’t call us to be cacti… He calls us to be flowers. If you’re a sunflower in an ocean of cacti, don’t let it get you down. One flower blooming can brighten many days.

Value In The Day

Posted on by ricrorr

What is the value of a day? Today, I completed a college course and received a certificate. Today, I wrote two recommendation letters for people from my congregation – one to receive educational benefits and the other for a job recommendation. Today, I set up time to counsel a young man on life and future career choices. Today, I encouraged several people struggling through life, one at a time, and in many different ways. Today, I engaged in deep and meaningful prayer with my God.

There are those that argue that the value of a day is measured in dollars earned or hours worked. There are pastors who believe that their value is measured by how many cards they send, how many homes they visit, how many calls they make, or how many people get baptized.

I’ve learned (and am learning) that the value of a day comes in how I have helped others succeed. My success is measured by the success of my flock. I’m speaking in terms of spiritual success. Are they growing? Are my efforts helping them “do life” more successfully? Are they seeking Jesus? Is the fellowship improving? Does the church feel more loving? 

Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Did you diligently seek Him today? If so, you must then embrace the truth that He will reward you.

Pastors, know this – when you lie down tonight, God used you. If He called you, He used you. It was not a wasted day and it really did mean something. You may not be able to go on-line and see the value in your account, but rest assured that your encouragement, edification, and “hands on” help were just what somebody needed.

Like a wall being built brick by brick, the wall may not be finished today… but, without the work of today, the wall will never be finished.

 

Good Advice When It’s For Someone Else

Posted on by ricrorr

Advice is easy to give and hard to follow. Have you ever seen that person who knows all the right answers for every persons life, but his own life is a train wreck? Have you ever known that person who knows just how to start a new business, leave a failing job, and make life spectacular, but she never follows her own lead? 

Let’s face it. Life is not easy. Life is not simple. Life is not a canned answer. Life is messy. People are complicated. Obstacles really do exist. The things that look simple may not be simple. Sometimes fear is a legitimate response. 

Be gentle with yourself when the answers aren’t coming. Be gentle with yourself when fear comes calling. Be gentle with yourself when the good advice is advice you just can’t take. 

For those giving advice, perhaps some help is in order as well. If you are advising someone to find a new job, offer to help with the resume. When you advise that starting a business is a great idea, help with seed money or contacts. When you advise someone to go back to college, follow up with offering to do one thing to tangibly support – keep the children, buy the books, pay the first semester tuition. 

Advice is the easy part. How invested are we in the advice we’ve given? If we’re not willing to invest, perhaps offering no advice is best.

In The Game

Posted on by ricrorr

When we watch football, we expect the men in the middle of the field to be the target of the opposing team. We expect that the linemen will meet resistance, the wide receivers will be jammed, the running backs will be hit, and the quarterback will be the trophy of every opposition play. It’s a no brainer! The men on the sidelines are less likely to be targeted and the people in the stands can expect almost no risk of opposition. The people in the parking lot or driving by on the streets are in no danger from the 250 lb linebacker, snorting on the opposite side of the line.

So it is in Christianity! Christianity is a full contact sport! The men and women who take the field in the name of Jesus can expect to be targets of opposition. The pastor and the leaders of the church can expect to be highly valued targets and meet active resistance and even violence in their daily walks. Why should it be otherwise? Does it make sense that Satan would ignore the active players, the potentially active players, or the coaches when threatened with potential loss? No! It makes sense that he will pursue those who resist him.

I heard a man say that pastors should never be depressed or feel fear “if they’re really called by God”. What an ignorant statement… what an ignorant statement. He hasn’t studied his Bible. That’s like me standing and saying that the quarterback has nothing to fear… after all, the Coach put him in the game to possess the ball. That quarterback can expect to be hit and hit hard repeatedly by those who play on Satan’s team.

If you are a spiritual leader, stand firm. Know that, when you are meeting resistance, God has you in the game. The more you’re meeting… the closer you are to scoring for Him. If you’re meeting little or none, perhaps you’ve seated yourself on the bench, in the stands, or you’re in the parking lot. 

Be encouraged when others resist you – it means you look like a threat to Satan and his cause.

Lessons In Dreams

Posted on by ricrorr

One of the greatest lessons we can teach those we want to follow their dreams is how it looks to follow ours. 

Often, we place our dreams on hold, while telling our kids, our spouse, our friends, and, if we’re a pastor, our flock to “live life”, “follow your passions”, “pursue your dreams”. Our words are saying, “Trust God”, but our actions are saying, “Live small.” 

Most people learn by observing. When we pursue our dreams, they learn to value themselves, to overcome obstacles, to deal with frustration, and that it’s OK to be kind to self. They watch to see how we react to failure. They see how we face our fears. 

The next time we’re tempted to tell someone to “follow your dreams”, stop and ask – am I living mine? If we’re too scared to step into the river, it comes as no surprise that those who watch us are scared as well.