Jesus is the well that won't run dry

Rigid thinking and inflexible positions often characterize Christianity, and while it is true that there is non-negotiable truth, our approach to that truth and its delivery can be pliant. Jesus communicated the truth of the gospel in many different ways to diverse audiences. For example when He would challenge the religious leaders of the day, He was often harsh, using vivid word pictures to describe their hypocrisy. And when He spoke to the marginalized living on the fringes of society, He shared with them stories that invited them into His presence. In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul, often crafted his message to the audiences he encountered through out the Roman Empire, for example on Mars Hill in Acts 17, Paul started his message by referencing the multiple idols that gave testimony to the idolatry of Athens.

Are you quick to quarrel?

It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
Proverbs 20:3  (NIV)

The Bible has a lot to say about fighting. Sometimes we are called to fight to defend what is true, other times the Bible challenges us to avoid strife. The difficulty is to know when to fight and when not to fight. 

My prayer this morning is that God will give me wisdom to know when it it time to engage and when it is time to let things go. One thing I do understand is that God calls me to forgive and show mercy. The default mode of our humanity often leads us to assume the worst of others. But I want to be someone who doesn't assume the worst but I want to believe for the best. 

I want to avoid the foolish quarrels, and petty issues that separate people. I want to be a man, a leader, who loves and serves and seeks to glorify God with excellence in all that I do. 

Perhaps this is your prayer today as well. 

Who decides your Labels?

Label makers are a thing of the past. But when they were in use, they served as a tool of ownership. With the power of the a label maker I could put my name on whatever belonged to me. A sharpie can serve that purpose as well. This concept isn't lost on advertisers who engage in the often sophisticated art and science of branding. This why we associate certain products with certain name brands.

This got me to thinking about "Who brands me?" Which labels do we embrace and reject? Who determines if you are beautiful, rich, poor, ugly, talented, lazy, athletic, resourceful, and a host of other adjectives used to describe people.

Many of us embrace labels from our family of origin, or perhaps a past or present relationship. But truly the only one really qualified to label us is the one who made us. That would be God.

What does God say about you? Thankfully He has told us through His word what He thinks of us.

1. We are sinful: You might think that this is a horrible thing to say about someone, but God says this about us because He offers to us the remedy for sin. His grace sets us free from our damaging sinful habits and attitudes.

2. We are loved: God loves us, and there is nothing that we can do to make Him love us any less or any more. He simply loves us.

3. He has a bright future in mind for all us. God has a unique use in mind for you and me. Something that only we can accomplish. Discover your gifts and talents and then loose yourself in pursuit of God.

4. We are not alone: God has made a community of people where we can belong. He calls this community the church. Find your place in the church and discover the joy that God has given to you through the gift of others.

These are just a few of the things God says about us, maybe you can think of some others. Remember God made you and He alone can label you. The good news is that He makes all things new!