This morning on my way to a breakfast meeting, I passed a father and child who were waiting at the end of their driveway for the school bus. It’s something I’ve seen what seems like a thousand times before.  But lately, I’ve been finding myself reflecting often on how I grew up, and the things I learned about life…specifically how it was that I came to learn them.

For some reason, as I passed by the waiting father and child, I instantly flashed back to my memories of waiting on my school bus.  My parents went to work before I was to be at school, so in the mornings, I would get up early with my parents and get dropped off at my grandparents house, who conveniently lived at the bottom of the hill we lived on.

Each morning, as it came time for my bus to come, I remember my grandfather waiting patiently with me in his driveway.  I don’t remember all of the specific conversations we had, but I do remember pieces.  I remember stories he told me, some of the funny jokes, and the way we would laugh together.  Right now at this moment, I can’t help but smile at the memory of the morning he taught me a little jingle to help memorize the spelling of “Mississippi”.  It was foggy, and freezing outside, and I can remember seeing my breath in the air as I sang the letters.

I have so many amazing memories with him that go far beyond those cold, foggy Tennessee mornings waiting for a school bus.  Thankfully, I’ve gotten to spend far more time with my grandfather than many people get to spend with theirs.  Now that we live a few hours apart, we don’t see each other as often as we used to.  It makes me realize how much I took the abundance of time we spent together for granted.

I learned so much from my “Paw”, and now in my late twenties, I continue to learn from him today.  He is one of the wisest men I know, and even though he’s still around, I think I’ll probably keep learning from him long even after he’s gone.  In the meantime, I’m going to soak up as much as I can.

I realized how blessed I am to be so close to all of my family, including the grandparents on both sides of my family.  I hope you’re blessed to have, or have had, the same.  If not, and you still have the opportunity, I hope you don’t take it for granted.

It’s never too late to start.  Or continue.

And, you’re never too old to learn.

Have you ever had a verse from the Bible seem familiar because it seems like you’ve heard it a million times?

Yeah, me too.

Have you then ever read the full passage that contains that verse, and been totally convicted after realizing that the meaning is far deeper than you previously realized when you only heard the smaller portion?

Yeah, me too.

That happened to me recently. And I walked away with one single thought, “Man, I do NOT want to be a goat!!” And trust me, you don’t want to be a goat either! I wrote this post because I’m afraid there’s way too many people out there who might end up as one if they aren’t careful. A goat? Yes, hold that thought…

This is serious stuff…

The passage that hit me wasn’t just about goats, it was also about the poor.

It’s pretty clear that the Bible takes helping the poor very seriously, which obviously means that God takes helping the poor very seriously, which makes it kind of obvious why Jesus took helping the poor very seriously. In fact, it’s how He entered the world. He could’ve been born into a wealthy family of royals, but that isn’t what God chose. He chose a poor couple, from a small town, and ended up being born in a barn. Why? According to Luke, chapter 4, it was to “bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to the captives, give sight to the blind, and help those who are oppressed.” (Paraphrase.)

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that if you “came to bring good news to the poor,” entering the earth as a poor person is a pretty good strategy. You don’t have to look very far these days to discover that poor people don’t like rich people very much, let alone have interest in listening to them.

So, Jesus was pretty serious about helping “the least of these.” And it turns out, He’s pretty serious about His expectations for us to help them as well. But you probably already know that, right? I mean, almost everyone has heard that phrase. “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do unto me.”

That’s pretty cool. I help and am nice to the poor, therefore I’m being nice to Jesus. Awesome. Until…

Until you read the entire passage, and realize that helping the poor isn’t just icing on your faith cake. Check this out…

Matthew 25: 31-46 (NIV):

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on his left.³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then He will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This isn’t just about being nice to Jesus. It’s about your eternity. I think that passage speaks for itself, doesn’t it? If not, read it again and let it sink in, and realize that your life depends on this. Probably not because being charitable is your ticket to heaven, but because God as your creator, wired you in a way that allows you to be humbled and changed by the perspective gained when walking with the poor and needy.

When you learn to love what He loves, He captures your heart. And when Jesus has your heart, everything changes…including your eternity.

Seriously, don’t be a goat. Do something.

If you aren’t taking Jesus’ call to help the poor as seriously as you should, maybe it’s time to get real. One of the best ways I know how is to partner with Food for the Hungry by sponsoring a child. They’re incredible at loving and helping the “least of these,” exactly how they can be loved and helped the most. And they’re doing it one child at a time, with a dollar a day. A dollar a day! Are you kidding me? Seriously, you can find a way to sacrifice a dollar a day, by giving up something that is far less valuable than both the life of a child, and your future. I’ve seen their work, and it’s life changing, for the kids, their families, and for you.

Click here to sponsor a child. Follow through. It’s time, don’t you think?

What is this Christmas about for you?  If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably the kind of person that has already heard that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Like a thousand times.  Right?  Sounds cliche…but it’s true.  But you already know that, don’t you?  The problem isn’t that you don’t already know the truth, it’s that for most of us, our actions and lives don’t match up with what we know is true.  Alas…it is EASY to be deceived.  We get mis-directed every day…especially at Christmas time.

So what’s your mission this Christmas?

Will you focus on and celebrate the truth?

Or will you buy the lies?

Chances are, your family has already developed a focus for this season.  Want to know what that focus is?  Just ask yourself these two questions…  

1. How are you spending your time?
2. How do you spending your money?

The answer to those two questions determine not only what you value, but the current mission statement for your life this Christmas season.

Don’t buy the lies. Don’t be deceived. Re-discover the truth. And once you do, allow it to challenge you to a point of discomfort.  We’re probably all a little too comfortable, no matter how things seem.

Video| Advent Conspiracy :: Enter the Story :: 2011

Christmas isn’t Christmas without getting involved in the life of someone less fortunate.  There are hundreds of ways to get involved.  Here’s one of my favorites, that has lasting impact in ways that go far beyond what we can see, smell, taste, touch, or hear:  Sponsor a child through Food for the Hungry. Click here to get involved. It’ll change a child’s life. That’s pretty awesome. But it’ll also change your’s in the process.  Funny how that works, isn’t it?

Because it’s already December, (which I can’t believe btw…can you?), I’ve already begun to reflect over the past year.  I randomly asked myself, “Out of everything I’ve read this year, what was the book that challenged and impacted me the most?”  

Without a doubt, it was When Helping Hurts, by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett.  The sub-title of the book is, “Alleviating Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Ourselves“…hard to give it a better description than that…that’s exactly what I felt empowered to do after reading it.

We’ve partnered with a lot of non-profit organizations over the years through our different tours, and Kate and I have been very actively involved in caring for those living in poverty ever since our first trip together out of the country to a third-world country back in 2005. It was a recent trip to Haiti that a leader from Food for the Hungry, (our favorite organization in the world!), recommended I read When Helping Hurts.  Turns out, it’s often used as a sort of handbook in much of the work they do.

Not only did it expand my perspective, but it changed the way I see the world, and my role in it.  It challenged me, made me think, and inspired me to take a more effective approach to helping others in need. You need to read this book, because one of the greatest ways you and I are deceived, is how we’re misdirected into focusing on stuff that just doesn’t matter.  This matters.

Because I read the book while on our tour in Egypt last month, I didn’t have the time available to blog or share any thoughts along the way.  But I loved it so much, I’m currently re-reading it and digesting it even further this month, while on our Christmas tour.  I can’t think of a better season than Christmas to be challenged to help and serve the very people who Christ came serve and reveal himself to…the poor, the sick, the broken.

I can’t wait to share more thoughts with you as I go back through it. Why not join me?

Because if you care about the poor, you need to read this book.
And if you don’t care about the poor, you need to read this book.

Grab your copy asap. It will challenge and change you.  Seriously…it’s the best book I read this year.

Question: What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year?  Maybe I’ll make it the first book I read next year…

After meeting so many Upward league directors, I know that it takes a lot of commitment to pull off a successful season.  I respect each of you for your willingness and desire to serve, using such an awesome tool.  It’s always an exciting moment to see the final event…the Awards Night Celebration.  Through my twelve years of experience with the Upward program, I’ve come to learn just how important this event is, in that your venue is filled with kids and their families, many who have no idea how much Jesus can radically change their lives.

With that in mind, I’ve written this post with the hopes that you too will be able to finish strong and well by making your Awards Celebration a huge success!  At the same time, I also understand that writing something like this requires a great deal of credibility.  That’s why it’s important for you to understand that in years of working with Upward Unlimited, I’ve had the opportunity to play a major role in almost 500 different awards nights with a combined attendance of over 250,000 people.  I’ve had the privilege of being part of some of the most creative and successful Awards Nights in the country.  Nonetheless, I’ve also been a part of some the least effective.  Through that, I’ve come to learn through time and experience exactly what it takes to make an Awards Night a success.  That’s why Upward Unlimited, including founder and president, Caz McCaslin, has continually endorsed our ministry and efforts through each of those past twelve years.

I encourage you to read through this post and learn from the experience I’ve gained.  Not only do I believe that your Awards Night will be much more professional and organized, but also more effective.  It’s a long post, but the results that will come from studying and learning from these mistakes is far greater than the moments it will take to read them.  I really do believe it is that important!  

Mistake #1: The Never-Ending Awards Night  

The majority of Awards Celebrations run considerably too long.  If I had to choose a percentage of the ones I’ve attended that last much longer than they should, it would be over 75%.  Most run at least two hours, and we’ve been to many that have lasted as long as three hours.  Why is this the case?  There are two main reasons: the failure to plan, and the failure to realize the importance of people’s time.

We live in a busy world, and as much as you don’t want to hear it, people don’t want to sit through your Awards Night for more than an hour and a half…if that.  The quicker you can get everything accomplished, the more satisfied your guests will leave.  I’ve seen too many people walk out in the middle of the night—many times before they’ve been given the opportunity to respond to the Gospel.  Please, whatever you do, don’t make this mistake!  Keep it to an hour and a half or less!  Your guests will love you for it…I promise.

To help prevent an extended program, plan ahead.  Have a script.  Know what’s going to happen, who will be doing it, and how much time they’re going to take.  The most successful Awards Nights I’ve attended have been well planned and prepared…yours should be too.  Here are a few tips to help you plan ahead:

1. Start on Time – Be professional by starting on time!  If you advertise that you’re starting at 7:00pm, don’t start at 7:15.  Sounds basic, but it’s a commonly made mistake.

2. Call ‘em Fast – If you decide to call each player by name, do it fast!  Many churches have growing leagues of hundreds of kids.  As much as I wish there was, there isn’t enough time to give every player ten seconds or more in the spotlight.  If you have 100 kids, go for six seconds.  If you have a lot more than that, speed it up even more!  Also, if your sound system doesn’t allow for the announcer to be heard over the applause, ask the audience to hold their applause until the end of each team.  Don’t make the mistake of losing your audience before the night even begins, especially if it’s before the gospel is presented!

3. Don’t Be Repetitive – Whatever you do, don’t bore your audience, and don’t do the same thing over and over again.  For example, if you insist on having a live band, (which is highly discouraged), keep their time to a minimum.  Don’t do a song in-between every part of the night.  Another good example would be coordinating what is said by your guest speaker and your pastor.  It’s OK for your pastor or another church member to follow your guest entertainer.  In fact, it’s highly recommended.  However, he or she should not repeat the same presentation of the gospel that has just been given, especially if it was given clearly.  (I’ve had pastors give up to 20 minute sermons following my presentation).  Everything should always flow well and never get slow.  One of the major causes of this problem is from choosing the wrong M.C.  In fact, it’s so important that I’ve given it an entire section on it’s own in this post.

4. Don’t Give Away Too Many Door Prizes – It’s highly recommended that you utilize door prizes.  Used correctly, they can be very effective.  However, a very common mistake made by awards night planners is that way too many door prizes are given away.  I’ve witnessed as many as 50 given away on the same night, at the same time.  Believe it or not, 3 to 5 prizes are plenty!  And if you have a huge crowd, you can give away a few more…just no more than a dozen.  If you do end up giving away a lot of door prizes, at least give them out quickly.  Have a runner handy to deliver each prize as you go on to draw the next card.  Doing so will keep your night flowing well!

Mistake #2: Choosing the Wrong Emcee

As crazy as it may sound to some, every Awards Night needs a Master of Ceremonies.  Just as with any other event, one distinguished individual needs to be in charge making the night flow smoothly.  Most people assume that it has to be the league director, which isn’t always true!  Find someone, (connected with the program of course), who is fun, outgoing, and good at speaking in front of large groups of people.  It must be someone who won’t go on forever.  Remember, the role of the M.C. is to make everything flow smoothly.  If you, or whoever the league director is, fits that criteria, great!  Go for it!  Just remember that choosing the right or wrong M.C. can make or break your night, so put some thought into it…very few do.

Mistake #3: Failing to Make the Players Feel Important

As shocking as it may be, there are churches and organizations that fail to make their players feel important.  Thankfully, there’s more of a problem with too much attention than not enough.  However, this mistake is still commonly made.  This is their big night, so make them feel special.  Upward Unlimited itself makes excellent recommendations on how to accomplish this goal.  A basic, first step would be to do what you know they love.  For example, if your players’ favorite part of their games is getting to run through a tunnel with lights and fog, then do it at your awards night celebration, and make it big! This is their night, so make sure they know it.  Pull out all the stops.  Be creative, and go all out!

Mistake #4: Not Making the Year-End Awards “Special”

I’ve been at too many Award Nights that ended in, “Ok…coaches may now hand out awards and everyone is dismissed.”  If that’s the way you prefer to do it, then go ahead.  But if you do, I firmly believe you’re missing out on a great opportunity to make it a bigger deal.  After all, this is “Awards” Night, right?  Kids love this stuff, and they can’t wait to see what kind of cool awards they’re going to get this year.  But those awards’ “coolness” can be determined by the way that you present them.  The more important and exciting you make the award out to be, the more important and excited your players will feel about receiving it.  Make your awards a very big deal!

Bonus Tip: The most creative way to give out the end-of-the-year awards we have ever seen was by Brad and Barb Mattax in Fort Wayne, IN (Brad now works for Upward Unlimited).  I share it with you with their permission…

Plan your night in such a way that your awards are passed out directly following your door prize drawing.  Build excitement as you give away the prizes by holding up each prize as you draw it, asking your players, “Who wants to win this?!”  Immediately following the last door prize, hold up a player award, (which in this instance was an Upward backpack), again asking, “Who wants to win this?!”  Show it off, make it seem special, and let them all want it.  Making it a big deal, eventually decide to just give every single player one for making such an effort this season.  Have the coaches pass them out, (from boxes under their seats), and I promise, every player in the audience will be thrilled with their end-of-the-year award.

Mistake #5: Failing to Use the Evaluation Card Effectively

The Evaluation Card is one of the most important elements of your Awards Night.  First of all, it’s important for me to say up front that you must use evaluation cards in order for the entire purpose of your night to be filled! Your Awards Night is all about bringing unsaved people to Christ.  There are many who forget it, but that’s what it’s all about.  One of the most basic rules of any outreach event is that follow-up must occur.  It’s not an option.  And the only way for you to disciple those who make decisions on this night is to get a record of their attendance and decision, allowing for follow-up to occur.  So again, failing to get this record is not an option.

With that said, it’s my belief that there is a way to ensure maximum effectiveness out of this card.  First are the basics: don’t take up the cards or ask them to check boxes until the gospel has been presented.  (Forgive me for being so basic, as even I am surprised at how often this occurs).

Second, have a familiar face walk the audience through the filling out of the cards—yourself, the league director, the pastor even.  I personally recommend the pastor, as he can briefly follow up with the speaker, and your unchurched guests are given the opportunity to connect with who he is, along with what he does.  Third, specifically ask that everyone fill out a card, regardless of the decision that they made.  You will find that many assume that it is a “decision” card only and do not think about the evaluation aspect.  Through the evaluation idea, you will have a greater response in the amount of cards that are returned…not to mention the benefit of receiving the feedback.

Bonus Tip: Though some churches disagree, it is my experience that the use of door prizes actually does increase the number of cards returned.  By utilizing the cards as means to draw from for the prizes, a greater number of people fill it out and pass it in.  It’s highly recommended, just be sure to inform everyone of the opportunity to win a prize.

Mistake #6: Forgetting about the Grown-Ups and Rest of the Family

Again, I can’t stress enough that the ultimate purpose of the Upward Awards Celebration is to bring lost people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The good news is, many understand this concept.  The bad news is, they only apply it to the kids.  Please, please, please, in everything you do during this special time, do NOT direct 100% of it all to the kids.  There is nothing that stirs up more frustration in me than someone getting up after our presentation and saying, “Ok kids, if tonight you decided to trust Jesus as your personal savior…,” when 50% or more of the crowd, (as with Awards Nights) consists of parents, grandparents, and other adult family members.  Please do not make the simple, yet huge mistake of letting newly saved adults walk out of your church completely unaddressed.

Mistake #7: Choosing the Wrong Guest Entertainer/Speaker

I’ve saved this for last for two reasons.  First, because of the fact that choosing the wrong guest entertainer/speaker is one of the most commonly made mistakes there is.  Second, because it’s the most important aspect of your big night.  Just like earlier, choosing the right or wrong speaker/entertainer can literally make or break your entire Awards Night program.  Again, keep in mind the purpose of your event; to bring lost souls to Christ.  Because of that, the #1 most important thing you can do during your program is to be 100% sure that the gospel will be communicated effectively, professionally, and very, very clearly.  Period.

Because of the importance of ensuring that this happens, I’ve put together a checklist that every Awards Night planner should go through before scheduling his or her guest speaker/entertainer.  This list has been compiled through many years of experience, and more importantly, lots of feedback from other pastors, church leaders, and other league directors just like you.  Following it provides a successful, low-risk approach to making sure you get just the right person to fulfill this important task.  Use this list and you’ll be glad you did…I promise!

q Verify their listing on the “Recommended Speakers” list provided by Upward Unlimited, Inc. Upward requires everyone on the list to go through a very extensive screening process, including multiple letters of recommendation, proof of experience speaking at Awards Nights, as well as a personal testimony, mission, and statement of faith.  This list is becoming very well known throughout the entertainment industry, primarily in the area of ministry-minded performers.  It is slowly becoming one of the most sought after lists in the country, making it highly prestigious but very trustworthy.  It’s the first step in securing the right speaker/entertainer for your important night.

• Get plenty of references and testimonials! Any professional will have them.  Don’t hire anyone without them!
• Find out exactly how the gospel will be presented. Many entertainers out there today have incredibly clear presentations of the gospel, which is exactly what you’re looking for.  As a minimum requirement, find someone who uses an illustration as his or her presentation.  For example, many performers entertain to gain credibility, which is good.  However, they fail to continue their effectiveness by completely stopping their illustrations, and only presenting the Gospel audibly.  Find someone who utilizes a clear, physical and visual illustration while presenting the Gospel.  People remember and care a whole lot more about what they see than what they hear.  Presenting the gospel both audibly and visually is a definite must.
• Always read or request a statement of faith! Always, always, always request and read one’s statement of faith.  The last thing you want is for truth to be compromised. If you neglect to view one’s statement of faith, then you are held responsible.  Just read and double check it…your Pastor will appreciate it.
• Get someone fast! One of the best indications of a successful speaker/entertainer is that they’re in demand!  The best speakers in the country are usually booked many months, and sometimes a year in advance.  Plan at least 9 months ahead for best availability.  If you call 2-3 months before your awards night and entertainer’s schedule is 100% wide-open, that’s not a good sign. You can almost always snatch a date last second, but if availability is limited, it’s a good sign that you’re considering someone in demand, and there’s a good reason that demand exists.
• Finally, invest the money in bringing in a professional! Most of the time you get what you pay for.  Don’t completely judge by the price of one’s honorarium, but you can however get a pretty good idea of the quality of one’s presentation by how much they charge.  For example, in my industry, a full-time performer can’t afford to charge only a few hundred dollars per performance, when their entire income is based on the fees that they receive.  That’s why you’ll see less experienced, part-time performers charging that amount, mainly because they have another source of income.  (It takes hard work to be full-time).  If a performer can request a higher fee, and has a long list of enthusiastic testimonials from other people just like you, they’re probably worth it.  If your budget doesn’t allow that kind of money, find a way to come up with it.  It may sound blunt, but that’s a very small amount to invest in a packed auditorium of people ready and willing to hear the gospel!

I want you to know that this list is not an effort to eliminate so called “competition,” but instead an effort to help you make your Awards Night as successful as possible.  There are currently over 2,000 awards nights taking place each year, all of which take place in only a few months time.  With that said, it quickly becomes obvious that I must be more about building a large team of evangelizing performers, than a network of competing entertainers.  My goal is simple: utilize the experience and feedback I’ve received in order to help you select a qualified, Christ-centered professional.

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy post.  By applying the information you’ve just read, I feel very certain that your Awards Night will truly be effective. God will use you and your effort to reach others, and with that effort will come great joy and fulfillment!  May God bless each and every one of you who put the time and honest effort into doing your best possible for Him!  This world can always use a little more excellence from the church, and God certainly deserves our best.

If there’s anything I can do to serve you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.  In the meantime, share your thoughts, leave a comment below, and let’s all learn together.

Continue looking Upward!

In my last post, I told you how much I loved Inception, and how I believe that real “inception” actually happens every day.

Last night, my wife and I enjoyed another incredible film, Book of Eli.  I didn’t get to enjoy it on a massive digitally projected screen or with state of the art surround sound, but I still liked it.  Not only did I like it, I found it convicting.

There’s a scene in the movie where Denzel Washington’s character gets asked about the “old world”, which in case you haven’t seen the film, would be in reference to the current world that you and I live in today.  His response was simple, yet profound:  

“People had more than they needed. We had no idea what was precious and what wasn’t.  We threw away things people kill each other over now.”

Do you have more than you need?  Do you know what is precious, and what isn’t?  Chances are pretty good that you throw away things that people kill each other over in other parts of the world.  How do you feel about that?

If you’re like me, the natural tendency is to think, “Have more than I need?  Ha!  I’m barely getting by!!”  Well, turns out I’m filthy rich.  And…

And so are you.  Want to see how rich YOU are?   Find out now. ——>  Global Rich List

QUESTION: Maybe it’s hard for you to imagine a world in which people fight and kill over things that you throw away.  But what if it were true?  And better yet, what if you could see it coming, and could do something about it before the fighting and killing began?  What would you do about it, and how might you live differently?  Best of all, what would you do RIGHT NOW?

Do you need to change your perspective?

The famous artist, Leonardo Da Vinci, (who painted the Mona Lisa), was known for changing his perspective before considering one of his masterpieces 100% complete.  Apparently, when Da Vinci was supposedly 99.9% finished, his final step was to look at his painting in a mirror.  Simply by changing his perspective and how he saw the painting, he would notice needed changes in the painting that were impossible for him to see before.  Turns out, perspective is a really powerful thing.

I’ve always struggled with this.  Judging others is something I used to do a lot of.  My pride, arrogance, and selfishness always allowed me to look at other people and situations and immediately jump to conclusions.  I’d think, “That guy has some serious alcohol issues.” Or, “That teenager after the show tonight was ridiculously annoying.” Or, “I can’t believe the pilot of this plane didn’t show up, and now my flight is delayed until they find another pilot.” Or, “Why can’t I ever get ahead?? I never seem to be able to buy anything just for me.”

On the surface, those thoughts, though not perfect, don’t seem ridiculous.  They actually seem normal.  Until…

Until you change your perspective, and realize that the guy’s problem with alcohol is actually a problem in his marriage, and he doesn’t have any friends or help in figuring out how to deal with it.  So he drinks a lot to drown out the feelings of despair.  Doesn’t make it right, but it certainly changes my response.

Or, until you change your perspective, and find out that the annoying teenager is being raised by his single mom, because his dad left when he was 3.  And because his younger siblings need attention from his mom, he doesn’t get much attention at all.  So, he makes up for it by begging for attention at social gatherings.

Or, until you change your perspective, and realize that the pilot’s wife is in the hospital, because she was involved in a car accident that wasn’t her fault, and her husband rushed to the hospital instead of to work to fly my plane.

Or, until your perspective is changed by walking into a 10′ by 10′ home in another country, and are reminded that an overwhelming number of people live on less than $1 a day, and that the jeans you’re wearing cost more than their monthly grocery bill…and you bought the jeans at a thrift store.

Take a hint from Da Vinci in creating something beautiful.  Gaining perspective changes art.  And lives.

How has changing your perspective changed yours?

That’s what happened recently in Ohio.  I’ve driven by this statue what seems like hundreds of times while traveling that stretch of interstate on tour.  Here’s what the news article had to say:

MONROE, Ohio – A six-story statue of Jesus Christ was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, leaving only a blackened steel skeleton and pieces of foam that were scooped up by curious onlookers Tuesday.

The “King of Kings” statue, one of southwest Ohio’s most familiar landmarks, had stood since 2004 at the evangelical Solid Rock Church along Interstate 75 in Monroe, just north of Cincinnati.

The lightning strike set the statue ablaze around 11:15 p.m. Monday, Monroe police dispatchers said.

The sculpture, about 62 feet tall and 40 feet wide at the base, showed Jesus from the torso up and was nicknamed Touchdown Jesus because of the way the arms were raised, similar to a referee signaling a touchdown. It was made of plastic foam and fiberglass over a steel frame, which is all that remained Tuesday.

You can read the whole article here, on Yahoo! News.

Apparently, the statue cost about $400,000 to construct.  Maybe it was allowed to be struck by lightening because God might not be cool with wasting a whopping $400k on concrete? For the record, I have no idea. Just wondering. I’m also not saying that God always causes natural disasters.  But I’m not sure how you could deny that certainly “allows” them.  Again, I’m just wondering…

They’re also already making plans to rebuild it, wasting that kind of money, plus more, all over again.  I mean, I’m not God, so I won’t pretend to know or always understand what he does, or why he allows certain things to happen, but I do know of a whole list of better uses for a few hundred thousand dollars.

And, I’m not the only one. A lot of them are a book called the Bible….maybe this church should read it.  If they do, they might learn a lot about Jesus, the guy they’re making statues of, and in the process, how he encouraged us to live.

What do you think?

]]> http://www.harrisiii.com/observations/jesus-got-struck-by-lightening/feed/ 10 http://www.harrisiii.com/observations/im-totally-apathetic/ http://www.harrisiii.com/observations/im-totally-apathetic/#comments Sat, 29 May 2010 19:23:36 +0000 Harris III http://www.harrisiii.com/?p=1228 I’m totally apathetic today. I was yesterday, too.  Does that ever happen to you?

Kinda like this?

It’s weird. I’m usually incredibly positive and have a great attitude.  And honestly, my last few days have been amazing.  I don’t even have a good, valid reason to be apathetic.  I allow myself to get distracted, lose focus, and focus on the garbage.  Garbage like getting screwed by people from my past.  Garbage like us still having a house for sale, because the buyers backed out last second for no valid reason.  Stuff like that.  Eventually, if you dwell on the negative stuff, it makes you frustrated.  And I think frustration can very easily breed carelessness. Which reminds me…  

Back when Mitt Romney was running for President and eventually bowed out of the race, he gave a pretty darn good speech.  When I heard it, he included a phrase that I just couldn’t get out of my head:  “Carelessness kills. Complacency is murder.” His context was in reference to the mindset of welfare.  That was about two years ago.

Last month, I was re-reading the book of Proverbs in the Bible.  I’ve read it before.  More than once.  But this time, I read those same words right in chapter one, and they jumped off the page.  Turns out, it looks like Romney borrowed a little from Solomon while writing his speech, but forgot to quote his source.  ;-)

I’m not interested in being murdered.  Well, especially not by carelessness.  Am I alone?  I know, it’s stupid. I know, there are like 55 billion verses in the Bible that tell me why I have no need to remain apathetic, and every reason to feel blessed.  And I have one of the most amazing wives on the planet.  And I have everything I could ever possibly want or need.  But there are days that come, and it just isn’t how you feel. Ya know? I guess that’s another good reason to not live your whole life based fully on your feelings.

Ah…now there’s a good conversation:  How do you balance truth with your feelings, and the recognition that both are a gift?

Apathy may be my opponent for the day, but I fully intend on winning.  In fact, I’m feeling better already.

Thank goodness they made this about church services, and not conferences, camps, or even the shows put on by “christian entertainers.” If they decided to make those versions, well…I prefer not to think about what might happen.  For now, enjoy this one, regarding Sunday mornings:

“Sunday’s Coming” Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Thank you North Point. Out of all the organizations that have booked and/or partnered with me, you’re by far one of the most professional churches I’ve ever worked with, and I think that’s a good thing. I love everything you do. Almost. I most-definitely loved this video.

Did you? Funny? Or convicting? You tell me…

It does make me wonder what role manipulation plays when used by entertainers “for the sake of ministry.”  As it turns out, the same talents that make someone a great entertainer can also make them a great manipulator.  But, I guess I’ll save that for another blog post.