"Words are THE Voice of the Heart" Confucius

I was always told think before I spoke. Words I heard far too often but ignored most of the time. This is probably some of the most damaging advice we give. We are saying think about what you are going to say and if it is hateful or damaging, don't say it or lie! The problem isn't when the words exit our mouth but the condition of our hearts. The thinking before I spoke, those thoughts were the issue. Confucius said "Words are the voice of the heart"; how ugly is my heart?

Sure, I forgot to think and it slipped out is a great excuse to hurt someone. I just said what came to mind, I never really thought about it. What about the things that we don't say because we thought about it? What about the damage they do? THose thoughts rather ever made audible reflect the condition of our heart. What happens when they are verbalized? Can we ever really take them back? Maybe but have the thoughts gone? Or do the thoughts remain just being pushed further into our subconscious way of going about life?

Our words are a mere voice for our hearts. Our thoughts are nothing more than words waiting to be verbalized. Don't apologize for what you say but for the condition of our hearts.

3rd & Goal

Every time I turned on the TV this weekend it ended up on football. Saw bits and pieces of some really good games. Saw Boise State play on their famous blue turf, watched the Giants crumble under pressure, and my favorite watched Steve Spurrier get out coached. I don't have a team I follow regularly. I prefer just a good game. There are a few individuals I route for but that is more because of their off the field actions than on. I do enjoy coaching from the couch. It seems so easy as I sit there to call the right plays. Of course, I do not have the pressure, noise, or my job on the line. It is easy for me to say be aggressive or fake a kick when it is not my neck on the chopping block.

That is the way life is though. We have a coach who seems to be making the calls and a crowd of coaches sitting on the couch calling out plays from the safety of their seat. It is easy for them to call in a play where if it fails they have nothing to lose. It is easy to criticize when you have nothing at risk. If you fail from the couch you have nothing to lose, not even your seat. Maybe if you have the ultimate "play" you shouldn't be sitting on the couch. Strap on the gear and go make a call.

The coach has to take the responsibility of the outcome, win or lose. The coach can't pass the blame. A good team though helps shoulder the blame. A good team keeps the coach in check not allowing him to believe he earned that win single handed. Nor does the team let him believe he lost the game single handily. They shoulder the blame together. We win or lose as a team.

How many good pastors have been out coached from the sidelines? How many pastors didn't have a team to have their back? How many pastors never heard good play? How many pastors called the play as the church sat in the pews? How many pastors had no team?

Who Dat Nation!

Believe it or not this post has very little to do with the Saints that play football. Just happen to be watching the game and felt inspired. I normally don't take the time to watch many games but since i was able to hold a Super Bowl ring from last years game I thought I would watch for a few minutes. If I were to be totally transparent i started to watch the game tonight looking for a client I work for that is on the coaching staff of the Saints.

At the beginning of the game both teams came out in a sign of solidarity and showed they were unified for a cause. Two teams with a lot to prove tonight showed they were all going to work together as one to accomplish their goal. I do not agree with their goal and believe it shows the desperate lostness of America but I do admire their unity.

What if the "church" could be equally united for the kingdom? What would this look like? If a lost world sees the need for unity why do we continue to be at odds? Yes we say we all want to see kingdom growth but do our actions show it? Both teams walked out on the field and all held up a single finger saying we are one, we are unified. The 2011 season will come and if there is not an agreement they will, as one, go on strike. They move forward together-this is not because they all agree on every issue but because they (in their opinion) want whats best for the group. Some will have to bite their tongues, some may sacrifice time and money but the goal is to do what is best for the entire unified body.

I don't know what this would look like in a church but I am positive it would not look like a local church body with ministries competing for recognition. It would not have members of the church body trying to place their personal needs in front of another's needs. It would not consist of us spending our time trying to destroy someone to make ourselves more popular. Instead of attacking each other we would murder the sin that we so easily are tangled in. My God why are we so shallow and selfish?

I have heard it said that the greatest obstacle for kingdom growth isn't atheism, Islam, Buddhist but Christians themselves. The world sees how they treat each other and want no part of it.

Next time before we compete, gossip, back stab, slander, cheat, lie picture ourselves between the cross and a lost brother walking toward the cross. Can you handle him looking at you and walking away? It is the Jesus he sees in you that he is rejecting, not the cross.