Easy Button

Then I looked things over and told the leaders, the officials, and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of your enemies! The Lord is great and fearsome. So think of him and fight for your relatives and children, your wives and homes!"

-- Nehemiah 4:14

If you’ve worked in a corporate environment or held a job in just about any organization, you surely know the drill.

That high-profile project from your company’s vice president has taken you days, weeks or maybe even months to complete. Thousands of dollars are on the line and you’ve lost track of your overtime hours. You’ve done a great job holding it all together — and you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. But then … CHAOS!

Out of nowhere comes a last-minute “concern” from a co-worker or supervisor,

or a “new vision” from a client. Your tight schedule is now in total disarray, and there’s no way that you can meet your deadline. Can’t anything in business (or life in general) ever be easy?

Maybe you need one of those Easy Buttons that they sell at Staples. Just put it on your desk and hit it anytime your workday starts going crazy. And like magic, all your problems disappear.

But reality doesn’t work that way. And as Christ-followers, we’re particularly susceptible to the obstacles and detours of life when we say yes to God and work to do his will in the world. Note first that these pitfalls can take several disheartening forms. It might be criticism or ridicule of your efforts from an enemy, co-worker or even a family member. And in extreme cases, the situation could even turn malicious, violent or fatal.

The saying “no good deed goes unpunished” applies here. That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised when we take heat for trying to help others see the light. In fact, we should beware if our faith-journeys are too smooth and trouble-free. It could mean that the devil doesn’t consider us a threat to his plans. And it’s then that we can become our own worst enemy.

“How terrible when everyone says only good things about you,” warns Jesus, “because their ancestors said the same things about the false prophets.”

What should we do when doing God’s will gets a bit too rough? The first thing is to know your opposition and acknowledge its existence. Running away, ignoring the situation or pretending it doesn’t exist won’t make it disappear. Then pray for God’s help and guidance — and pray for your enemy. Finally, don’t be afraid to stand up for what you’re doing. If it’s something that comes from God, saying yes to him and fighting for what’s right is worth the trouble and effort.

That’s a tall order. But remember, we’re not in the fight alone, and God has the last word. Moreover, since Jesus has already paid the price on the cross for the world’s sins, the fight is already won. Victory is ours when we say yes to our Savior.

Wise Men (and Women) Still Seek Him

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

-- Matthew 6:23

When we seek something — or someone — we need to know what — or whom — we’re looking for. For example, Christ-followers on their life-long spiritual journey look toward Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And every day, they should seek to know him better and do God’s will with purpose and vision.

If you’re a Christian, it's no revelation that this odyssey can be rough at times. But let’s consider the original Christ-followers 2,000 years ago, who traveled countless miles through deserts and rugged terrain -- just to meet Jesus in person.

They were called the Magi, but you might know them from the Christmas

story as the Wise Men or Three Kings. It’s thought that they were astrologers from Babylon (ancient Iraq), who were familiar with the Old Testament prophesies about the Jew’s long-awaited messiah.

The time came when they spotted a special star in the nighttime sky. It was a sign that was both breathtaking and unmistakable. And the Magi would soon follow it at all costs to gaze upon and worship the King of Kings.

The second chapter of Matthew’s gospel reveals that the Wise Men lived up to their name. And if we look closer we’ll see that their successful journey highlights some important principles that we can embrace today. We learn first that following God can be dangerous and demanding. Our winding spiritual pathway is full of hairpin turns and steep hills rather than long, smooth stretches of highway. And to reach their destination, the Magi chose the road-less-taken rather than the direct route. But how often throughout our day do we choose the easy way out rather than doing the difficult — but right — thing?

The Magi’s long journey also reassures us that as Christ-followers, we will find Jesus if we search for him diligently. The Three Kings may well have been familiar with Jeremiah 29:13, which reads:

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

So let’s follow the Wise Men’s example. They recognized their Savior's star from far away, and then stayed on the path until they reached their destination.

Words to the Wise

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

-- James 1:5

What’s the best advice that your father ever gave you?

That’s the question Real Simple once posed to its readers. Here are a few of the savvy responses that the magazine received:

• If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.
• Never try to solve problems at night. They always seem worse than they do in the morning.
• You don’t have to answer the phone just because it rings.
• Life is better when you have a good time … and bring someone along for the ride.

Heeding good advice — whether it’s from a parent, a friend or even a

total stranger — can save us from considerable pain, heartache or much worse. So it’s good to know that the Bible is full of sage counsel from wise, God-centered people who traveled the proverbial road of life centuries before our time. And their words to us today are not only insightful, relevant and trustworthy, they’re inspired by our Creator.

It’s the wise Christ-follower who spends time in prayer and studies God’s word. That’s because it’s when we take his messages to heart that we begin a transformation into the men and women he wants us to be. And eventually, we mature enough in our faith that he shows us glimpses of his reality. Like an inquisitive child who’s finally learned a lesson or two the hard way, it’s then that we begin to see through new eyes.

Unfortunately, our learning curve is broad. But our Father fully understood this limitation even before he created the world. So to help us understand, he had to fully reveal himself by putting a mortal face on the divine. He lived out the human experience in the form of Jesus Christ — even if his people didn’t recognize him at the time.

“Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” Jesus once asked his inquisitive disciple. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Jesus’ comments were a simple answer to humanity’s ultimate question. If we want to know the who-what-where and why of God, we first need to know Christ — the One he’s already sent to us. Because the more we know and experience the Son, the more we’ll know and experience the Father.

That’s wise advice that we should both accept and live out. After all, he’s our Father, too. And he knows us best.

In God We Trust

I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land.

-- Judges 6:9

What’s the official motto of the United States?

The answer is as close as your wallet, your car’s ashtray and perhaps your sofa cushions. For more than 150 years American coins have featured the inscription In God We Trust, and these familiar words also appear on our currency. According to the U.S. Treasury’s website, a Pennsylvania minister back in 1861 recommended to Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase that American coins “recognize Almighty God in some form.” Chase agreed and instructed the director of the Philadelphia Mint to prepare an appropriate motto.

“No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense,” wrote Chase. “The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.”

In God We Trust made its first appearance on the two-cent coin in 1864.

So isn’t it ironic that Godless money cites such an important reminder about the real source of our security? But if we’re honest with ourselves, maybe the motto should read In GOLD We Trust. After all — when life get tough — it’s only natural to rely on our money, riches and possessions rather than the One who makes it possible to earn a living. But reliance on job security and the stock market is never wise, particularly in these days of political, social and economic unrest.

It’s an unsettling fact: Our bank accounts and 401ks are no defense against life’s hard realities. Illnesses strike, relationships fail — and that which seemed solid turns to dust in our hands. What we desperately need is something — or Someone — who’s utterly dependable, unchangeable and trustworthy.

Jesus paints a vivid picture of this universal quest through his story about a foolish man who built a house on shifting sands. When a violent storm struck, the rains came and the winds blew with fury. It’s no surprise that the flimsy structure collapsed with a crash. But a wise man, in comparison, built his house on a foundation of solid rock. So when the storm clouds of life boiled on the horizon, that house withstood even the heaviest downpours.

This leads us to the obvious question: Are we trusting our money to save us when life happens? If so, let’s switch our confidence to God: The One who knew everything about us before we were even born.

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,” we read in Psalms, “who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.”

In God We Trust is more than a motto printed on the dollar bill. It’s an eternal truth that we can take to the bank.