Reversing Your Pointer

On Saturday, I saw a musket-carrying man leading his traditionally-dressed Irish family through Brookside’s annual St. Pat’s Warm-Up Parade. I also saw a young man a Scottish kilt. These were amidst the sea of green-clad parade attendees. Face paint, shamrock earrings, leprechaun ears, “Kiss Me, I’m Irish!” t-shirts, and clover glasses were the rage at this year’s parade.

Somehow, I’ve accidentally stumbled upon the parade in back-to-back years now. And the only thing it warms up is my irritability with St. Patrick’s Day. Were people less obnoxious with their dress, I’d be fine with the holiday.

[Did I bash St. Valentine's Day too? Sorry for the pessimism].

Though subtle, I am wearing green today. Because I’m festive? No. Irish? Goodness, no. Agitated when pinched? More than you know.

Regardless of my annoyance with St. Patrick: the day, I am a fan of St. Patrick: the man. And, thus, here are three-hundred and seventeen (tricked you) Pat Forde-style facts on him (and, maybe, a few on his day).

At birth, St. Patrick’s given name was Maewyn Succat [1]. The Englishman [2] was a Christian missionary to Ireland [3] in the fifth century [4].  His first visit to Ireland was as a slave to pirates [5] at the age of 16 [6], and he escaped after six years [7]. Though his father was a Catholic deacon [8], Patrick didn’t believe in God as a boy [9].

Upon his return to Ireland in 432 A.D. [10], St. Patrick used the three-leaf clover to teach about the Divine Trinity [11]. While ministering in Ireland, He was known for doing Mark 16:18, banishing snakes from Ireland [12]. His ministry was immensely effective, as he’s commonly credited for Ireland’s conversion from paganism to Christianity [13].

St. Patrick’s day was first celebrated in the early 1600’s [14] as a Catholic feast [15]. Originally, the Irish wore blue in celebration of the holiday [16]. Funny how things gradually evolve through history, as St. Patrick’s day is now a major drinking holiday, with estimates in Guinness beer sales for March 17, 2010 totaling more than 13 million pints [17].

Any missionary with a particle of ambition wants to be like St. Pat. How could you not? Patronized by the Catholic church, credited with an entire nation’s conversion, and granted a day in celebration of your life–– success. Though the festivities surrounding St. Patrick’s day can be fun [if you're an obnoxiously-dressed parade attendee or drunkard], it’s tragic–– to the saint and his God alike–– to see how far the day has plummeted in its celebration.

Is St. Patrick honored or dishonored by the holiday? I wonder… I guess it depends on the celebrator.

I know one group that the saint is particularly, and undoubtedly, honored by–– those evangelizing Kansas City today during the parade. Every year, IHOP sends a parade team to share the gospel with Kansas City. Atop the float is a worship team and a preaching St. Patrick, followed by hundreds of dancing, worshiping IHOPpers. Before the parade, the team enthusiastically evangelizes to parade attendees. Year after year, people (sometimes hundreds) come to Jesus. And, by this, St. Patrick is honored to have his day.

In closing, watch this.

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Holy moly. Where did the first two and a half months of 2010 go? I know we say this sort of thing all the time–– about every year/ month/ day–– but this is unbelievable.

[Happy belated daylight savings time, by the way. That is, except for you, Arizona. Sorry you missed the fun. Maybe next year? Probably not. But you can email Senator McCain anyway–– I hear he's been talking about "change" a lot lately. Save daylight? Yes. We. Can.]

Where did my March Part A go?

Here’s how my 359 hours (15 days x 24 hours= 360 hours – 1 hour daylight savings= 359 hours) divvy up:

1. Sleep= approx. 101 hours
2. Quality time with friends + fiancé= approx. 41 hours
3. Freelance work search= approx. 35 hours
4. Wedding/ honeymoon planning= approx. 33 hours
5. Apartment/loft/ house hunting= approx. 26 hours
6. Writing= approx. 24 hours
7. Prayer room + Church= approx. 22 hours
8. Personal (reading, praying, etc.)= approx. 18 hours
9. Driving (my car + IHOP shuttles)= approx. 16 hours
10. Eating= approx. 9 hours
11. Stuffing, sealing, stamping wedding invitations= 5 hours 23 mins
12. Shopping (grocery, wedding-related, etc.)= 4 hours 33 mins
13. Talking on the phone= 4 hours 29 mins
14. Meetings= approx. 4 hours
15. Filling out NCAA Tourney brackets= approx. 1 hour
* Who knows?= 16 hours 35 mins

Stuffing, sealing, and stamping wedding invitations took a total of 5 hours and 23 minutes of my time this March.

There you have it. Honestly, I’m not particularly proud of my time usage so far this month. But real life, not the niche fantasy I’ve been living in for the last few years of my life here at IHOP, requires such time. And, so far, I’m not particularly acclimated to non-fantasy life.

This is about the time of year when we realize how poorly we’ve done on our New Year’s resolutions. Though I didn’t have any this year (perhaps to my disadvantage), I’m beginning to feel slight regret and disappointment concerning my year to date. And, my tendency at this point is to think like a daylight-wasting Arizonan (you know, the old ‘maybe next year’ attitude). I’m such an all-or-nothing individual. One stumble–– one accident–– and I’m ready to call it quits. I do this with Bible-reading, praying, and fasting along with writing, exercising, and bedtimes. Is this God’s will?

Absolutely not–– that’s my answer. If I’ve learned anything in my years of tottering after Jesus, I’ve come to understand that He is longsuffering. He is slow to anger. He doesn’t leave me in the dust, as He triumphs on to righteousness, but He is always with me–– never forsaking me.

Thankfully, Jesus is unlike any man I’ve met. His patience is unprecedented.

So, as I continue to lose my faith in my abilities, I’m thinking I’ll give way, more and more, to grace.

One day, in the seemingly distant future, I’ll be like Him. If I love Him, and don’t quit, I win. End of story.

Well, that was a smorgasbord. Take what you’d like from it.

-a time-wasting, daylight-saving, resilient recipient of grace

Postscript I: If you’re a resident of Arizona, I may have gotten a little carried away. Please don’t do anything you’ll regret later–– like forcing me to waste daylight with you, etc.

Postscript II: This post was way (way, way) overdue. My bad. (I didn’t have any time).

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Guest Post: Andrew Chen

About a month and a half ago, my good friend Andrew Chen posted the following post on his site (see blogroll). I love his heart for justice, his motive for making this shirt, and his creativity. I own a ‘Nothing But The Blood’ shirt and dig it. If you buy one, you’ll dig it too.

[By the way, soon, a lot of you will be receiving an invitation to my wedding that was made by Andrew].

Nothing But The Blood

**********************************************************************************************************************
A few months ago, while spending time with Jesus, I felt a tug on my heart about His passion for justice. At that time, the Holy Spirit struck my heart with this message and gave me this image.

I’ve been waiting for the Lord to show me what to do with these T-Shirts since November. After events and encounters that the Lord has been highlighting to me over the past few months, I’ve decided to debut this project on the internet to raise funds and encourage intercession for two specific areas:

1. Adoption
The impact of Derek Loux’s passing stirred my heart to sow into the movement of adoption that he spent His life serving. The Lord’s desire to defend the poor and the fatherless has been gripping my heart. The Josiah Fund is an opportunity to partner with the Lord and believers to serve special needs orphans in a community of prayer.

2. Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts
The sobering events surrounding the Haiti Earthquake were an intense reminder that the day of Christ’s return is drawing near. In the coming crisis, there will be no hope of compassion or justice apart from Christ. While we have the opportunity, we should desire to see the Church cultivate a heart that stands with Christ in prayer, love and humility, ready and able to to do the work He has called us to. In this time of Haiti’s crisis, I want to sow into the mission of preaching of the gospel and the defending the poor and afflicted.

This project will be maintained through F!GHT, a small ministry/clothing company to the underground music scene run by my friend Stephen and I. You can help partner with this effort by purchasing a Nothing But the Blood Shirt or spreading the word.

Description from F!GHT Clothing Humanity is no stranger to pain. The deceit, disaster and wickedness increasing in our world leaves countless lives battered, broken and desperately in need of healing and salvation. As we continue to witness devastation in our lives, it is becoming apparent that human kindness is not an endless resource. But though our compassion has a limit, the love of Jesus Christ endures without end. While love grows cold around us, there is a tender call resounding from the words of God to the hearts of those He loves, “Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. Show kindness and mercy to one another. Go into the world and proclaim the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes will be saved.” Today there are approximately 150,000,000 orphans in our world; over 5,000 are added to that number daily. In the United States, 50% of children live in a home without a father. In recent days, the cataclysmic earthquake in Haiti left 100,000 dead in moments. 1/3 of Haiti’s population has been directly affected and the death toll is suspected to climb to 500,000. Pain, suffering and brokenness surround us, and though we relentlessly strive to mend with kindness the affliction in our world, our efforts alone are mere band-aids on the fatal wounds of sin and adversity. Our only lasting hope for real peace, justice, truth, and love is found in Jesus Christ alone. With F!GHT, we want to take seriously God’s call to lay down our lives to serve the afflicted and preach the good news of Jesus and His kingdom. It is burning in our hearts to rally one another to follow Christ in a prayerful labor of love. Our mission with Nothing but the Blood is to help deliver the glorious hope of eternal life with Jesus and the compassionate endeavor of critical support and relief to orphans and those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. 100% of the profit from these shirt sales will help fund the rescue and adoption of special needs orphans as well as the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. With equal passion, we want to urge everyone who loves Jesus to talk with Him about justice. Discover the depth of His love toward the lost, poor, and fatherless, then take up His cause. A fistful of dollars will reach the end of its usefulness, but the lovingkindness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ will never fail.

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Many of you are aware of the recent happenings here in Kansas City at the International House of Prayer’s school of ministry, IHOPU. But, if you’re not, julestompkins.com isn’t too keen on secrets, so let me fill you in…

November 11

Last November, some significant things began to take place in a first-year IHOPU class. The Holy Spirit began to stir students in a significant way. As His presence increased, students were set free from a whole assortment of issues–– eating disorders, depression, self-hatred, suicidal thoughts, bitterness, anger, shame, and more. Physical healings, too, began to take place that day.

What began on November 11 at IHOPU has yet to cease, resulting in over 1000 baptisms, hundreds of salvations, and an innumerable amount of physical and emotional healings. Since November 11, every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (save a few holiday interruptions), IHOPU hosts a six-hour Student Awakening meeting. At each meeting, there has been a heightened sense of the Lord’s presence and more and more testimonies are recorded each night and thousands of visitors have made their way to Kansas City to experience this move of God.

Bizarre things have happened. We’re talking healing from dyslexia (more than a fwe few times), porn stars saved, healed, and delivered, freedom from decade-long eating disorders, and deliverance from drug and alcohol addictions. People have been set free from same-sex attraction and addiction to pornography. Individuals who were raped or molested as children have been restored and set free from shame, forgiving their offenders. And, my own fiancé was healed of a benign tumor, which literally dissolved completely after some girls prayed for her in IHOP’s Global Prayer Room.

Truly, this move of God has been remarkable. Click here for a video of the highlights so far. You can also view all of the testimonies on IHOP’s YouTube channel.

Just in Time

Last September, one of IHOP’s key leaders, Daniel Lim, shared a message that called praying people across the nation to contend for revival in America. In the message, he shared some staggering statistics. Only 4% of those born in 1984 or later, he shared, are currently Bible-believing, churchgoing Christians. This is down from 65% of those who were born between 1927 and 1945 and 35% of those born between 1946 and 1964. (An excerpted article of of the message can be found here).

Now, at America’s doorstep seems to be one of two fates: complete apostasy or revival. At IHOP, we’re believing for the latter.

What if the Lord duplicated the move we’re experiencing here? What if it caught fire and similar moves began on other college campuses across our nation?

Daniel Fast

Yesterday, our community began a 40-day Daniel Fast*. After some collaboration and confirmation, our leaders called the IHOP community, along with ministries and campuses nationwide, to spend 40 days in fasting and prayer for revival in America. Immediately, there was agreement from many of our nation’s key Christian leaders and they called their spheres to the fast, as well.

Below is a video that gives further explanation to the fast. I encourage you to watch it.

IHOPU’s third and fourth year students are in Boston–– the city with a more concentrated number of higher education institutions than anywhere in the world–– for the next 40 days, praying and fasting for the Lord to turn the hearts of America back to Him. For more information on this, visit jhopboston.com.

If you’re intrigued by the 40-day Daniel Fast, join in. You didn’t miss the starting gun… Start now. And start however you’d like–– if it’s coffee, sweets, Facebook, or television, He’ll take your sacrifice. You, too, can ask the Lord to turn our nation around.

(*For more information on Daniel Fasting, read Daniel 1:8-13 and Daniel 10. Also, you can check out these resources:

-Jentzen Franklin
-Daniel-Fast.com )

(**Let me know if you’ll be joining in or have any questions or comments).

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Do you use Dropbox? If not, let me tell you about it.

Dropbox is an online file storage system that allows you to backup important files, share files with others, and access your uploaded files from anywhere. Dropbox gives you 2GB (the average amount of space on a flash drive) free, though you can pay for more space.

If you don’t have a Dropbox account and would like to get it for FREE, use the referral code below, giving both you and I an extra 250MB of space.

SIGN UP FOR FREE: https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTM0MjQyNTU5

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Pre-wedding life is chock-full with tasks. Today, as I sit at my desk, staring at my chalkboard, a hideous yellow sticky note stares back at me.

“Get Pants Altered,” it reads. Such a task sounds simple: 1. Drive down the road. 2. Enter Diane’s Alterations. 3. Change into your wedding pants. 4. Let Diane measure you. 5. Change back into your Friday pants.
6. Establish a pickup time. 7. Peace out.

Yet, for some reason, it’s little tasks like getting my pants altered that are the most dreadful to me. Oil changes, closet tidy-ups, and bill paying sessions exasperate me like no other. Thus, I disdain to-do lists. (Bad news for a soon-to-be-married guy).

Everything preceding the “I do” of a wedding can be summed up by the words “to do.” I don’t like the “to do”–– even though a lot of the “to do” is “she do.” I’m just ready for “I do” after all of this “to do.” (Just get me on my honeymoon, riding a “Sea Doo”).

Here’s a sampling of the to-do list that my fiancé Bethany and I need to fulfill:

1. Get wedding bands
2. Find caterer
3. Book hotel for April 18
4. Getaway car?
5. Reception music
6. Decide order of ceremony
7. Write vows
8. Make reservation for rehearsal dinner
9. Find [cool] envelopes for invitations
10. Find [cool] stamps for invitations
11. Send invitations
12. Get info on marriage license
13. Get pants altered
14. Coordinate groomsmen accommodation
15. Purchase groomsmen favors
16. Follow-up with florist girl
17. Get flower girl (any of you attendees have a cute daughter we don’t know about?)
18. Land health insurance policy
19. Buy LadyComp (Didn’t feel like giving a link. Maybe the Google can help you out.)
20. Create budget

I timed myself as I made that list. It took approximately 2 minutes and 20 seconds–– all off the top of my head. Without doubt, there are many, many more tasks to be filled outside of the above list. And I don’t like that.

Anyway, I should run out and get my pants altered before Bethany finds out I’ve yet to do so.

For the “I do,”

Jules

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I do. I like documentaries. A lot. And there are some excellent ones out there these days, some of which I look to feature today…

First of all, though, for those of you who find documentaries boring, uninteresting, or for classrooms only, I want to talk briefly about why I like documentaries…

1. I like to learn.
2. Hollywood always adds a romance story to the actual story, which is distracting.
3. Crazy stuff happens. Crazier documentarians tell us about it.
4. People like Darryl Hunt and Georges Lopez are so very fascinating but so very ordinary.
5. I can only take so much of Hollywood’s outrageously predictable work.
6. I’m becoming increasingly “indie” with my tastes. So, when everyone’s seeing Twilight, I’m at home (most of these aren’t in theaters) watching the wives of coal miners singing bluegrass songs. And I enjoy that. But, by all means, keep watching teenage vampire sagas–– I’m not stopping you.

If you go to the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com), you’ll discover that documentaries take up a lot of space at the top of the overall best-rated list. There’s a reason for that…

Here are nine documentaries that I’ve really enjoyed (hover for a brief summary):

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Two years ago today, I returned from a six-month trip through Southern Africa. While the trip was fruitful and goals were accomplished, Africa caught me by surprise.

Many of us [most of us, I assume] have had glimmers of fantasy concerning Africa. We imagine ourselves holding orphaned black children, dancing to beating drums around fires, and preaching to the masses. In such fantasies, we look rugged. Men, we have beards and dirt on our faces. Women, you have your hair pulled back and a long skirt on. Such reveries are common.

When we see Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Oprah, Madonna, and Bono performing their various humanitarian exploits in such an iconic fashion, it’s only natural to desire to do the same. We can’t help it. [Messiah Complex is contagious].

The reality I returned with on February 15, 2008 was completely different than the fantasy I developed when purchasing airfare, reading travel guides, and packing bags. Although I had once before visited Africa, it was only for two weeks. A measly two weeks, I now concur.

While still at the airport, with friends and family wishing “safe travels” and “bon voyage,” my excitement was difficult to contain. I was absorbed in romanticism. Six months, I thought, would be far too short–– only a whetting of my appetite for the continent. Little did I know, however, that those six months would be some of the most wearisome (emotionally, physically, and spiritually) months of my life.

My friend Cam and I travelled to many corners of Southern Africa–– through Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Our trip was filled with adventure, joy, and ministerial success.

And mundaneness.

And loneliness.

And feebleness.

And disappointment.

Being the dangerously optimistic person that I am, many of my expectations were unmet at the consummation of our trip. The satisfaction I had hoped for (through opportunities at heroism, benevolence, and conditional contentment) was hardly obtained… When I returned home, there was still a void inside.

I’ve concluded that I was jaded by the common romanticized portrayal of Africa. I had unrealistic expectations of the continent. I thought I’d live happily ever after on red soil in the company of smily black people, enjoying beautiful sunsets, exotic wildlife, soccer, and mangoes. (Naïvety at its finest). The same emptiness that I sought to fill during my African expedition haunted me on February 15, 2008.

The weeks and months that followed my return to the States were crucial. It was up to me to work up another hankering to fill that lingering void. It was my job to grapple with expectations unmet and dreams unfulfilled. In that season, I found a Man who could help me with this. He affirmed me, mending my broken places. He gave to my heart a certain balm, anointing, to help it recover. He plundered my negative thoughts and feelings of disappointment. And I rallied to victory, gaining fresh perspective.

So, this is my counsel to any and all who dream of third-world long-term ministry: look to Jesus to fulfill your dreams. Don’t allow Africa (nor Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, urban America) obliterate your expectations, because it (they) will. To all who are allured by understaffed orphanages and remote villages: be wooed by God, not the transformation nor revolutionization of those places. To all who dream of happiness amidst poverty and shoddy conditions: fantasize of happiness with Jesus, regardless of setting. Conditions, cultures, heroism, charity, travel, and people in and of themselves will never (ever) satisfy you.

[If I'm coming across as burnt out/ regretful/ let down, I'm getting my point across].

That’s what I learned on my trip to Africa.

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[Please imagine Haddaway is serenading you with his sensational What is Love? (click the link for such a serenade as you read). It's Valentine's Day!]

Really, I’ve never loved Valentine’s Day. I especially don’t love it now that I’ve graduated the fifth grade and no longer receive Valentine’s cards and candy from every classmate. That was superb. But I think I prefer Arbor Day now.

[Were it not for Valentine's Day, though, we may have never had this, which had me bellowing in laughter yesterday].

As I ponder the “holiday of love,” I can’t help but notice our society’s lack of understanding of love. February 14 is the annual celebration of an ambiguous, uncertain idea that is defined differently by all.

Yet, for being such a curious concept, love gets a great deal of attention from us. It’s applied to almost everything–– television, chocolate, garments, and beaches. Every media expression has taken a stab at defining it, and philosophers have ceaselessly strived to put it into the most brilliant arrangements of words they can assemble. And all for not; a dominant conclusion has yet to be reached. The Pope says one thing while Gandhi, Johnny Cash, Dr. Phil, and Zooey Deschanel all say another–– all with a certain layer of mystery.

And the ambiguity doesn’t stop in Hollywood/ Nashville/ the Vatican/ the philosophical arena. It’s distinct in the lives of average Americans. In a contest going on today, the New York Times challenged readers to define love. Some compare it to the measles–– something necessary which is to be endured. Others call it “the only power that can change the world.” And some limit it to a hormonal reaction.The most popular Christian answer to the question of love is derived from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

[And, for me, here's the windfall of the holiday].

Most of us are quite familiar with this verse. Many of us, I’m sure, could use this as a reminder of how to treat our Valentine. But, more than that, I’d like to remind us of the One who is love itself–– the One whose character is a perfect canvas of the above characteristics.

Love is a man. A Man. Look no further, Haddaway–– there is a clear answer to your question. Jesus.

When He walked among us, He was a walking definition. “Love” was written all over him. He dealt a death blow to ambiguity and was a perfect representation of His Father, Who is love.

Let this Valentine’s Day be not only a time to receive chocolates and smooches and cards. Let it be a time to receive Love Himself. Don’t dance around philosophically obscure ideas of “love”–– one of the most used, but undefined words, in our culture. But rejoice at the definition–– Jesus. He came, in part, to diffuse so much mystery. And the mystery of love was one He made expressly clear through every action and breath, word and gesture, smile and frown.

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A BRIEF LESSON ON RELATIONSHIPS (of all types, shapes, sizes, and colors)

[Oh boy. Is this ambitious? A yet-to-be-married 21-year-old is about to offer the World Wide Web a lesson on relationships. Ambitious and premature, I say. You could probably get much better relational advice elsewhere, but here goes nothing...]

Since being in my relationship with my fiancé Bethany, I’ve learned a lot–– about myself, mostly. And I’m grateful for this. Though I’ve seen more of my ugliness than I ever knew existed, I never would have discovered it outside of the context of relationship. Relationships are one of God’s favorite contexts for refinement.

Early on in my relationship with Bethany (before the pet names had been decided or I passed gas in front of her), the Holy Spirit taught me something very important–– to reverse my pointer. Rather than granting myself immunity from wrongdoing, I began to question myself each time I was offended, irritated, or upset with her (which, being the gem she is, was very rare). I chose not to point the finger at her but, instead, learned to point it at myself.

When she would repeatedly forget the same lyric to the song she sung in the car, she wasn’t forgetting intentionally. She wasn’t trying to annoy me. The truth of the matter was that I was short-fused and easily-annoyed. I had an impatience problem which needed to be dealt with much more urgently than her lyric-forgetting problem did. I had no grounds to correct her. She was doing nothing wrong. When I reversed my pointer and examined myself I found that I was the wrongdoer, not her.

After experiencing initial success with this, I began applying it to my other relationships. Whenever a negative emotion arose toward another, I would delay my reaction and double check that I had the proper grounds to react in whatever way I was inclined. And, nearly every time, I discovered that I was much more guilty than the particular person with whom I was offended. My offense at the person was usually rooted in my [pride/ impatience/ orneriness/ coarseness/ you-name-it-ness] much more than it was the other’s action.

Over time, I was shocked to find that I was more ill-willed than I could have ever imagined and those around me were more well-meaning than I ever would have assumed. “Why the victim mentality?” I began to ask myself. How could I always be the right one? How could I always be the one who was wronged? Impossible! That’s a ridiculous notion! In fact, when I took a step backward, I was almost never right. Not once was I able to justify my offense. For, the behavior which most often offends me is usually mostly subconscious and sincere.

Much of my biblical ammunition for this concept came from Paul’s teaching to the Philippian church. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit,” he says, “But in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Excerpt from Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians).

I’ve begun to esteem the intentions of Bethany and others better than those of my own. I’ve reversed the pointer finger back at myself, first double checking my sincerity. Usually, I’m self-seeking. Usually, I consider my preference superior to those around me. And, in doing this, I’m acting through conceit–– which Paul warns against.

Now, I’m far from having it together. It’s not as if this understanding is a magical fix-all. It hasn’t been the universal cure for all of my relational problems. It hasn’t brought comprehensive relational harmony. I still fail. I commonly forget Paul’s exhortation. Out of habit, I react too quickly to a situation which ruffles me. However, I’ve been unable to form a good argument against this principle. If I do happen to pipe up and try to justify myself against it (i.e. “Yeah, but he/she…”), I end up scapegoating another to do so.

I want to go as low as possible. I’ll never regret humility. Never. The Lord is too good to mislead me that way. If He recommends humility, I must trust Him.

As Mike Bickle once said, “Lord, shock me now, not later.” Let’s have the same attitude.

[not very] Sincerely,

-a wretched, selfish, backbiting, arrogant, ambitious young man named Jules

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