Are you counting what counts?

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
—Psalms 90:12

How many days till mid terms? How many days till Spring Break? How many days till Go-Live? How many days till I get to go home? How many days till I graduate? How many days till I pay off my debts? How many days till I retire? How many days till the baby is due?

You are always counting. Days, hours, minutes; even seconds. Are you counting correctly? Are you counting what counts?

All too frequently you are counting the short term stuff. You know; the urgent stuff like taxes, bills, kids’ soccer schedule, piano lessons, pulling an extra shift, getting the oil changed. While you rush to count the urgent stuff you are hoping somehow you will get to the long term important stuff—like continuing your education, meaningful relationship time with the kids, with your spouse, with your friends, buying a home, starting a family, paying off your debts.

Guess what…you won’t get there! Hope is not a plan, it is an important attitude to have; but you need to be counting what counts!

"Best in" or "Best for"?

Jesus sat down and summoned the Twelve. "So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all."
—Mark 9:35

Math, spelling, track, basketball, SAT standing, college, beauty pageants, playoffs, salary, wealth…all areas you were encouraged to be the “Best in”. Add to it measures of corporate success like market share, ROI, or measures of position or power as in your title, rank of wealth and being “Best in” becomes more than a passing interest.

If you are not the “Best in”, taking  first place, you know that second place is considered as the “first loser”!
In many aspects of our western culture, the axiom “eat or be eaten” is the order of the day.

So, let’s see how well you remember those of the past year who were “Best in”.

Name:

• The two wealthiest people in the world.
• The last two Heisman trophy winners.
• The last two winners of the Miss America pageant.
• Five people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
• Five winners of the recent Grammy Awards.
• The last five World Series Winners.

What’s love got to do with it?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
—Mark 12:30-31 NIV

Tina Turner puts on a phenomenal show! One of her songs, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” is a catchy fast driving piece, but the lyrics invite you to give a second thought … Is love just a second hand emotion?

Or, is love the core of what you and everyone else on planet earth both crave and seek to sustain? To love and be loved? Is real love all about me or is it also about others?

The passage above shows that love is central to the joy of life and the journey of faith. There is no higher standard than to love our neighbors, and to love God.

But love is not only noun…it is best as a verb...the action it inspires...compassion, tenderness, listening, taking time to share, doing for others without consideration of self.

Sticks and stones

I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best… to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.
—Matthew 5:44-46

Sticks and stones were all that 8-year-old Ramzi could find to throw at the intimidating tank that had invaded his village. He did not understand the political struggle between Israel and his land Palestine; he only knew the fear and pain the long struggle had caused his family and friends.

So with tear filled eyes he threw rocks at a tank.

 In 1988 a photographer captured this very event.