Da Word... 242! Truth is tough

Tolerance, in this day, is pushed like crazy.  The unfortunate thing about tolerance is it tends to condone behavior or ideologies that are just plain wrong!  You know it, and I know it.  But for some reason, in the name of tolerance, we ought not to do anything about it.  But what is peace if the existence that allows peace is a lie? That is no existence.

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

- John 6:66

So my man J was at a synagogue in Capernaum.  He was teaching about seeking after food that can bring eternal life.  In other words, he began teaching more about he and the Father, and how the Father has promised to raise up all whom has been given the Son for the will of the Father is that none are lost who have been given.  Now while teaching, my man J says some things that are pretty hard to take.  Basically J is making some HUGE claims and stirring some you know what.  But J, at the same time, is being real.  He isn't sugar coating.  And as a result, people are grumbling, upset, and nearing offended.

It gets to a point where these kats just can't take it anymore.  It's a hard teaching to take because it also requires people to level up.  Not to mention, my man J didn't hesitate to say things that called some of them out.  He mentioned that though these people had seen miracles FIRST HAND, they STILL did not believe!  So in verse 66, we see that desertion begins to take place.

Here's the thing, if these disciples deserted their leader, one whose miracles they witnessed first hand no less, what makes us think we won't experience similar results in any endeavor that we might lead?  That's right, when we stand up for a particular cause, when we draw our lines in the sand, when we take up the path of reality and truth there will be those who defect.  Not only that, it may even give rise to opposition.  

As they say, it can be lonely at the top.  See, the person at the top doesn't have the luxury of tolerance.  To guide the ship, he or she must make hard decisions. But it shouldn't only be the person at the top.  Every single one of us should also look reality in the face and make those tough decisions.  What do you stand for and where do you stand?  Let it be known, in ways that are constructive.  We can't live in a bubble... there is no life in that.  So, burst that bad boy and get to livin'.  Yeah, it may hurt at times, but it also paves the way for the best of times.

G-bless,

   - patrick

Da Word... 241! Got Idols?

For some reason, we have this tendency to fall in love with a thing and before you know it, we are consumed by that thing.  Did I say consumed?  No, I meant controlled or even fallen a slave to!  You know what I'm talking about, heh heh.

You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

- Paul (1 Cor. 12:2)

This chapter of Corinthians is focused on spiritual gifts.  However, this verse in particular, though written as an introduction, jumped out at a brutha.  Besides the sarcasm (the pointed description of "mute" idols, heh heh), it struck a chord.  See, Paul pointed out that somehow or other, people are influenced and/or led toward becoming infatuated with an idol.... and mute ones at that!  What possible sense does that make?  Worshipping some item... crafted by the hand of man no less... that can't even speak!  Why?

It's easy to get influenced, especially if we already have a proclivity towards a certain area.  In this day an age, with technology growing at an insane clip, there is always something new to dig our hands into.  Not to mention no shortage of product evangelizers.  It's no thing to try things out.  It is a thing, however, when we get addicted.  When we start paying more attention to some piece of technology, some tv show, or the latest threads than to our own well-being, we begin to develop idols in our lives.  If we aren't careful, those idols, those lifeless things, will begin to run our lives, reigning as master.  Pretty soon we may begin to neglect our very health or those relationships that mean the most to us.  And that... is jacked.

Did you know, work can be your idol?  If it's all consuming and all you do is eat, breathe, and sleep your work, that could be an issue my friend!  Life isn't about work and work alone.  It's hard to keep that perspective though since society is structured such that many large incentives are placed around the idea of work.  The supposed key to our livelihoods and standard of living are perceived to be intimately connected with work.  So it makes sense then to pour all we have into work.  But as is the case with all things, balance is key.  What does it profit a man that he gain the whole world but lose his very soul?

Let's keep the idols in check and pay careful attention to what we allow to influence us and lead us.  We are not meant to be slaves to things of our creation.  Keep first things first, invest in people and  your relationships.  But most of all, get to know Pops above.  Homie's got this insane way of helping a brutha maintain perspective ;-D

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 240! Law or Faith?

You've got people who want to follow rules and regulations to the T, and then you've got people who are a little more relaxed and applying the law to where it is intended.   There are dangers on both sides.  The former tends to get EXTREMELY uptight, self-righteous, and dogmatic.  The latter tends to line step and potentially use the law only when it is convenient.  And when it's not, simply toss it.  How do faith and law interplay?

17 What I mean is this:  The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.  18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

- Paul (Galatians 3:17,18)

Here, my man Paul is discussing the promise Pops above made and the emergence of the law.  You see, Paul was a rules and regulations to the T person before da Christ knocked him off his horse, literally.  I mean he was one of them dogma followin' uber scholars and in fact hunted followers of the Way (those following the teachings of Christ).  But since his transformation, he became a champion of Christ.  And with that, and understanding of the bigger picture.

Paul, is awesome.  Very clever in his arguments.  Here he makes it painfully obvious that the law could not possibly be the path through which the promised inheritance would come!  It in no way could be the thing that imparted life, or could be a savior.  Why?  Cuz Pops above credited to Abraham righteousness!  And the law, heh heh, didn't appear until 430 years later when Pops gave it to Moses!  See, it was faith.  Why then was the law created?

The law came about to help us from falling off a cliff.  It was given as a guideline.  It was never intended to be the end all be all.  Life is about so much more than the law.  What God was promising was WAY MORE than some laws.  God was promising access to the mystery of life, the splendor of the universe.  But until that time, the law would help us move in that direction.  Paul states that the law was put in place to lead us to Christ. 

And what did Christ teach?  Homie was spittin' love, mercy, and grace.  See, Pops gives us life freely.  There is no way we can earn it.  We can't possibly do enough good things to get the reward.  No.  We're too flawed; there is no freaking way!  So instead, Pops just gives it to us.  And if we decide to head in the direction that Pops is going, we begin upon a journey that will blow our minds!  Focusing on the law only begets self-righteousness.  By instead focusing on loving one another and loving Pops above, we naturally do the things that the law states!  See, if we focus on the big picture, the goal, the community, the relationships,  we don't leave enough room in our minds for the bad stuff to grasp a toehold.  Faith is the key.  Where the law contradicts love and faith, love takes precedence.  Even Christ healed a cripple on the Sabbath (something supposedly against the law).

As iron sharpens iron, love your fellow man.  Seek to uplift.  Use the law as a guide.  Rely on faith. Trust Pops.

G-bless,

   - patrick

Da Word... 239! Point of no return

Ever come across someone doing or acting in a way that just straight got you dumbfounded?  You know, you stand there, jaw about dropped to the floor, thinking, "How did this person ever come to the idea that this was okay? I mean, seriously?  Am I witnessing this right now?"  You're basically shell shocked and without words!  Now what if that which you just witnessed started to become the norm?  What then?

Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

- Romans 1:32

Watch out there now!  Imagine getting to the point where people have not only lost touch with where the line is, but are now encouraging and approving of habitual line steppin'!  That... is a bad place to be.  It's a tipping point.  And if that scale is tipped, it may become a point of no return.  The repercussions?  I don't even want to imagine....

In the verses previous, a very dark and scary atmosphere is depicted.  Here is just a brief picture: "filled with evil and greed... full of envy, murder, deceit..... are gossips and slanderers, insolent, arrogant and boastful;  they INVENT ways of doing evil.... are faithless, heartless, ruthless."   Now let me ask you, would you want to live in a community that espoused and praised these attributes?!   That is a scary place kid!  You can forget about honor and loyalty.  Any supposed "friend" would in any instant betray you and stick a knife in your back... thrice!  All these attributes are reminiscent of people becoming selfish and self-absorbed.  

There is at least one community I know that started going down this path, and that was Enron.  I saw a documentary probably about 7 weeks ago.  The change was gradual but, in hindsight, you could see it coming.  It started out pure, people with passion, ambition, and a vision to change the world.  But somewhere along the way, the original reasons for heading in that direction were perverted.  The culture became extremely competitive; incentives were in place to push forward and bring results.  And every year, the bottom  5% or 10% of performers got cut!  The goal simply became about being the best... and by any means necessary.  You should hear the recordings of the energy traders on Enron's trading floor.  These guys were manipulating the power grid simply to whipsaw prices and make tons of money on trades!  Meanwhile, real people on the other end were being affected.  And these guys were joking about shutting the power off on some grandma!  Made me sick!  

You see, what had happened was the line kept getting pushed, the line steppin' wasn't curbed, and eventually those practices became approved and even encouraged.  As a result, you were left with a community of faithless, heartless, and ruthless people who were willing to do anything to get ahead.  It moved beyond a point of no return.  It is our duty to keep this from happening on a widespread scale.  The message is getting mixed and it's getting harder for people to separate the chaff from the wheat. So let's do our part.  And it starts within our circles, within the communities we participate, the groups we start, and the companies we run.  Curb the steppin' and be a light.  Champion integrity.

G-bless,

   - patrick

Da Word... 238! Being Exalted

In life we come across many types of people.  No two are really the same, and that's pretty kool and amazing! However, people do tend to fall into two classes: the self-absorbed, and the non-self-absorbed. It isn't black and white.  There is a continuum and the trick is in how one balances the two sides.  And depending on which side one is more heavy, different outcomes emerge.  Now, would you rather exalt yourself?  Or be exalted by others? And what kind of lesson are you prepared to learn? Cuz life will certainly play ball!

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

- Da Christ (Luke 18:14)

My man J, as you know, dropped parables left and right.  Good stuff and a great tool to convey truth and deep concepts.   This time he was contrasting the prayers of two people, a Pharisee and a Tax Collector.  Now you gotta understand, the Pharisees were like the uber scholars of the day, deeply religious and wielding some pretty decent power.  A tax collector, on the other hand, was considered to be bad people: they take your money and even charge more than they should just to take a cut!  And if you were a tax collector and a Jew... you can forget about it! You were lower than dirt!

So these two kats pray.  The Pharisee is all like, "Yo God, thank you that I ain't like other peeps - robbers, evildoers, you know the ilk -- or even like this tax collector.  Cuz you see, I fast twice a week and give a tenth of my off all I get."  Translation, "Yeah God, I am da shiznit."  Makes you wanna take this guy to the side and smack some sense into him, put him in his place!  The tax collector, on the other hand, prayed, "Hey Pops, have mercy on me."  He wasn't even standing loud and proud, and couldn't even bear to look towards the heavens!

The contrast is stark!  The second dude is obviously grounded, whereas the first is completely full of himself.  I mean come on, your talking to God!  And all he did was pump himself up?  Sheesh!  As if you, a mere man, can one-up Pops. Life will teach that kat a lesson, and it will be a hard one.  He "will be humbled".... scary.  If one exalts himself, the power of that exalting is pretty dismal.  But if one is instead exalted by others, man that has some weight!  If other people are talking about you with such amazing words, it means something! And if the same sentiment is echoed many people over.... wow.   And if that person is humble, the words of these others will be magnified many-fold.

The kat who realizes that all of his or her success is a blessing is the kat who will give back.  This is the person who will elevate the quality of life of those around him.  See, this person realizes that at any moment, anything can happen and he is in fact fortunate to be where he is.  As such, he will not think himself above anyone else.  And that, brethren and sistren, is powerful beyond measure.  So, on which side are you?

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 237! Lighten up!

You know how some people are just stuck in a certain way of doing things?  And I mean STUCK!  Stuck in such a way that this person expects you to do things the same exact way he or she is doing it?  Yeah, ultra dogmatic types.  Sometimes you just gotta smile and nod, other times you kinda wanna smack that kat upside the head and say, "Yo! Chill out!"

Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?

- Paul (Acts 15:10)

Word.  The council of brothers were meeting at Jerusalem discussing the actions that need to be taken by gentiles (non-jews) who have come to faith.  Some believed they needed to be circumcised and start following all the other customs and rules handed down generation to generation since the days of Moses.  But my man Paul started working his verbal gymnastics again!  See Da Word 128! for some more context.   

The gist is this: lighten up! Paul attempted to make it pretty clear that if they would all just sit down and think for a moment, they would realize, "Hey, even WE have not been able to follow all the customs!  Not only that, we could hardly even bear it!"  So Paul's question is extremely valid, if we can't do a thing, AND we are the chosen people, how can we expect a Gentile to have a fighting chance!  Paul was in a sense imploring his brothers to be realistic, and to recall the whole point of da Christ coming and dying.  It was so that we stand a chance, and that by grace we'd be alright.   Not to stuff nearly unreachable standards down our throats.

The spiritual application is covered in Da Word 128!  How about practically?  For one, we need to learn to lighten up.  It's okay to have expectations, but if we expect others to abide by measures we ourselves either can't or have a very hard time, it's time to lighten up.  Life is a process and change takes time.  Growing together provides an avenue for each individual to grow stronger and gain the fortitude to kick it up a notch.  But staunch dogmatism is an enemy of relationship development, growth, and love extension.  So expect the best, and encourage one another to be the best that he or she can, but don't squash a brother or sister if one happens to slip. Instead, lend a hand.

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 236! Time to Rise!

Ever feel that tug in your heart when you witness someone being done wrong?  It's like you want to standup and defend the cause of the victim, possibly even knock some serious sense into the perpetuator.  What about when you see a young child who hasn't much, if anything, to eat?  There's a tug no?  But how many times do we act on that tug....

...learn to do right!  Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.  Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

- Isaiah 1:17

BOOM!  There it is!  Direct from the Word itself!  Actions rather than thoughts seem to be encouraged. And you know what's more?  The actions encouraged here aren't in the realm of "comfortable".  Nope!  I mean come on, seek justice!?  You know that's just asking for a fight.  Encourage the oppressed?  That actually means interacting with people who have been or are going through some potentially serious stuff!  And all the baggage comes along for the ride!  Ugh! Defending and pleading?!?  Whoa...

Yeah people!  It's work!  And it means stepping out of our nice comfy spaces into territory which we may not be very comfortable roaming about.  What makes it harder, especially in this day an age, is this culture of, "well, it's not really my problem, I should mind my own business."  But how about the flip side?  What if stepping in meant the saving of a life?  And by not stepping in, very serious consequences emerged?  Neither the world nor the status quo can be challenged and altered if we simply chill.  We cannot transform thoughts and conventional wisdom by remaining idle!

Tolerance is okay.  But like many things, it's only okay in moderation.  Too much tolerance breeds corruption.  In fact, it gives people the rope necessary to engage in activity we know is against everything in us that screams right.  It's time to rise, and no longer sit on the sidelines.  We need to act.  Instead of simply acknowledging that tug, we need to step up and do something about it.  You know what's great about doing something in these areas?  Areas of justice, the oppressed, orphans, and widows?  You do something that no one can take away from you, and a life is touched beyond what you may ever know.

So, what are you going to do the next time there's a tug at your heart?

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 235! Accountable!?

And we're back!  Sorry for the hiatus there!  There's been a lot of shuffling going on.  Anyway, ever find yourself in a moment of decision where you have to decide whether or not to move your lips and warn someone -- whether or not it is any of your business to do so?  And only because you know that if that individual continues to pursue a course of action, it will only end up in disaster?  Yeah, I feel you. Sometimes it's tough in that moment.  What do you do?

When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die in his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

- Ezekiel 33:8

Oh whoa whoa!  Wait a minute!  Is this saying that if I keep my mouth shut, I am accountable for the ill that may grasp ahold of that individual?  How is that fair?  .....interesting isn't it?  Pops above is speaking to Ezekiel here and just prior to this verse, He provided a pretty clear example of what He meant.  See, Pops was appointing Ezekiel as a watchman over the people.  Any watchman that sees danger coming, and blows his siren, is not accountable for any individual who loses his or her life for not heeding that siren.  BUT... if this watchman sees danger and does not blow his siren, he becomes accountable for every life lost.  All that blood is on his hands.

In the same way, if we see our fellow man engaged in or about to engage in activity which will bring him to ruin, it is our duty as brothers and sisters (as a fellow human!) to warn him!  Now what this person does with the warning is his or her own decision, but at least he or she is now in the know about the potential repercussions.  If, however, we merely sit by and watch someone go down a path of danger, we are potentially lower than dirt!  It is as if we ourselves dealt the killing blow!  I don't want that kinda blood on my hands... NO WAY.

So what do we do?  It's obvious in the extreme cases... speak up!  But what about the more tame cases?  You know, where it won't lead to a life or death situation?  That's where it gets even more interesting!  At this point, other factors come into play, many.  One question that might help is to ask yourself, "Would I like, or have liked, to be warned about this?"  Sometimes it is worth the ensuing drama, other times it is more important for an individual to learn by reaping the consequences.

What is the common idea in both those cases?  Thinking not of ourselves, but of the well-being of another.  That's right, it's thinking about more than just me.  For by doing so, I can have an impact in elevating the well-being of all people, which in turn elevates my own.  Yes, we are accountable for our fellow men and women.  Let's do right by them.  Let's get out of our bubbles and make an impact.

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 234! No Bubbles!

It's quite easy to buckle down and work inside of a bubble.  In fact, sometimes it downright seems like the best course of action!  The problem lies when the bubble is the only environment in which we move, think, and act.  It becomes VERY easy to convince ourselves of a single course... only to end up with results that completely blow up in our faces.

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.

- Proverbs 11:14

As mentioned in the intro, isolating oneself is many times a good way to reap destruction.  Now that was kind of extreme, but I say it to make a point.  If outside perspectives are not taken into account, profound discoveries could be lost.   And those lost nuggets of wisdom could very well take down a nation -- so reads the proverb.  What would drive someone to reject even the desire to gather outside input?

There are many reasons.  For instance, the individual could be a control freak.  Yes!  This type of manic control is a sure shot to the most effective blinders you have ever seen.   On the flip side, an individual could simply be afraid of criticism.  It takes some mettle to be able to put your idea out there for the world to take a couple swings at.  As a result, thick skin is sometimes required.  And still, there are others who simply believe they know all the answers.  Maybe he or she came up with some pretty genius stuff back in the day, was catapulted to rock star status, and have now let it get to their head.  This is probably the worst case because such a person is EXTREMELY difficult to talk to!  It's even more difficult to get them to admit they may potentially have made a mistake!!!  I know you know what I'm talking about!

So to avoid the gigantic blow up, we need advisers!  If you look around and do some homework on those we perceive as wildly successful, you will notice each has a circle of trusted advisers.  And that's the key.  Getting an adviser just to have one is a path to ruin.  No, we need to recruit advisers that are trusted, sort of your inner circle.  These should be people who also recognize the importance of critical thought, the sharing of ideas, the seeking of feedback, and the value of mentors.  These are the kinds of people who will tell it to you straight and will protect you from operating in an isolated bubble.

We need to remember that we are social beings whose very ability to do amazing things is magnified by relationships.  Relationships bind us together and make us stronger.  We are not meant for bubbles!  Besides, bubbles can be a lonely place.  Who wants that?  By instead incorporating others, we raise the collective level of all involved and multiply the potential benefit to all those potentially affected.  Bust a hole in that bubble and let's get on with increasing our probability of success!

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 233! Embracing the Zone

Ever get in the zone?  I mean, really in the zone?  Isn't it a great feeling!  I remember playing pool with some friends.  There was one game in particular where I was on fire.  I'm telling you, if there ever were a zone.. THAT was it!  I COMPLETELY ran the table on these fools!  Sinking shot after shot, one after the other, I could only hear the words from that classic NBA Jam video game echoing in my head, "He's heating up! HE'S ON FIRE!!!!"  By not getting distracted, my output blew the charts. They didn't even get to take a shot!

The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

- J (Matthew 13:22)

Let's set the stage a bit.  My man J (da Christ), had just told a parable about a sower who was sowing seed and as he did some some fell among different types of earth.  There were those that fell on the path, those that fell on rocky places, those that fell among thorns, and those that fell among good soil.  Later, Jesus explained the parable to his inner crew of disciples. And that's where the above verse comes into play, my man J explaining about the seeds that fell among the thorns.

In His description, the seed that falls among the thorns basically represents those individuals who lose sight of the big picture.  These are the people who get distracted, lose focus, and fall out of the zone.  But the zone is where we wanna be!  What's interesting is how this type of person loses sight of the big picture and falls out of the zone: the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth.  And whats even more interesting?  J describes these things as choking!  Thus making this person unfruitful.

It sounds to me like this type of person is one who means well, but is going about it incorrectly.  The worries of this life are always going to be present.  So sinking hours, days, and months into worries is not an effective use of our time!  If instead we focus on the bigger picture and on something greater than ourselves, the looming specter of our worries suddenly begins to diminish in size.  It's loom loses its bite and pales in comparison to the vision of the big picture.  And thus, life's worries become easier to navigate.

Wealth... now that's no adversary to take lightly!  The picture of wealth is amazingly deceptive.  It's easy to fall into notion that wealth can solve all problems.  And that's so not true!  Wealth brings along its own problems!  Check out the Dave Chappelle interview on Inside the Actors Studio.  He drops some bonafide nuggets about how people change, especially your supposed friends, when suddenly 50 mil is written next to your name.  And if money solved all problems, why do many of the rich feel devoid of the genuine nature of joy? We, as humans, always want what we don't have and think the grass is greener on the other side.  One can easily fall into the mode of chasing money, falsely thinking that acquiring wealth will catapult his/her efforts to attain the big picture.  Instead, he will find himself doing all the things to increase his wealth, and doing none of the things that would advance progress towards the big picture.  In short, he is unfruitful having been choked.

So what's da word?  Embrace the zone.  Check your trajectory from time to time.  Ask yourself, is worrying about this or chasing that bringing me closer to the big picture?  Is it allowing me to produce output that blows the charts?  Or, is it causing me to deviate from the path?  Let's get in the zone and start producing 30, 60, and 100 fold!  Let's produce genuine fruit.

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 232! What goes in will come out

I've heard some stories about people swallowing some insaaaaane things.  What they fail to remember is that if the body can't digest it..... someway or another, it's going to be coming out!  And in some cases, that coming out may not be too comfortable.... ahem..... if you know what I mean.  The point though is this, anything we take into our bodies will certainly be expressed, even if transformed, and will have a rippling impact.

 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

- J (Matthew 12:35)

In this passage, my man J (Jesus) is verbally whippin' some Pharisees into shape.  I mean, these guys did not know who they were trying to step in the ring with.  Here's my man J, healing some people, and in come the Pharisees attempting to attribute his good to the work of evil incarnate!  Ludicrous... so J took off the gloves and, in the process, conveyed a great truth.  What one fills himself or herself with will most certainly express itself in leaps and bounds.

It's all about perspective.  Two people can look at the same situation and interpret or act upon it in completely different ways.  And that response has to do with one's body of experience.  The verse above speaks to the extremes.  But of course we know there is always gray.  However the point is clear, we are what we eat.  Think about it, if all you ever do is ethical, humble, compassionate, encouraging, committed, and passionate, such actions will affect your thinking!  You will have trained your mind to operate in a certain way, and now it's straight muscle memory.  Like in any physical activity, you do enough reps of a certain maneuver and it becomes second nature.  You perform without even having to think about it.  In the same way, whenever something new comes around, your mind has already been trained to snap into a mode of approaching the new experience with the great perspective you've trained it to use.

Now if you always teeter on the edge, that thin line between what's right and what's not, you will soon enough train your mind to always operate in that fuzzy area.  And if you tend to step over that line, pretty soon it won't take much to push you over. It is true, bad company will most certainly corrupt good character.  Even if a person appears to be a pillar (and it only works if his or her beliefs are anchored into something much greater than he or she), if that individual's common experience 24/7 is with bad company, the probability still exists that that person's thinking could be altered for the worse.  Pretty soon, those gray areas no longer seem all that gray, and stepping over the line no longer seems like such a bad thing.  The transformation is subtle. You never know it until one day, BAM!  It hits you square in the face. But alas, you are already in too deep.

It's about perspective my friends.  And we can change our perspective.  All we gotta do is change or augment our eating habits.  Who do you wish to become?  What kind person do you want to be?  Do you wanna be the line stepper?  Or that inspiring leader?  It boils down to one question that we should ask ourselves weekly:

What am I eating?

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 231! Anything Constructive?

I'm sure there are more annoying things, but this one's got to be up there: people who tear down but never bring anything to table.  You know what I mean?  That person who is always looking for something that is wrong, or just gunning to call somebody out... the most probable to get decked out, heh heh.  It's a good thing this person usually surrounds himself or herself with people who are self-controlled!

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath.  His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look!  Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

- Matthew 12:1,2

The entire passage following these verses are primarily about the concept of mercy vs. sacrifice, mercy being the greater of the two.  Jesus teaches about compassion, and where law must take a backseat to the expression of love and the true purpose of the Sabbath and the Law.  Jesus even healed someone that same day, and the Pharisees tried to call him on it saying, "isn't it unlawful to heal on the Sabbath!"  Crazy isn't it?

Let's focus a bit on the disposition of the Pharisees.  They are like that person described in the intro, always looking to find fault.  But that's not all!  These peeps tend not to take on responsibility nor put forth any ideas to help a cause or bring people closer to a solution!  It's perfect ;-D  They can never be at fault, but can always attempt to expose fault.  It's a recipe for breeding self-righteousness and conceit.  The effect on your character?  Let's just say, it's probably not the path you'd want it to take.

Instead, let's endeavor to focus on being constructive!  That's how we all, together, can move forward as a people.  It is the building of on another up that elevates our quality life, both tangibly and intangibly.  And it's that intangible stuff that makes that quality light years better!  Because in this scenario, you know that your fellow man or woman is actually looking out for you.  And that makes all the difference.  Let's embrace compassion, for compassion with a mix of passion accelerates progress.  Word.

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 230! The Purpose of More

Sometimes you wonder, why am I so fortunate to have received so much!  I'm speaking abstractly here, but it could apply to many items, both tangible and intangible.  It could be fortunate opportunities, great friends, an uncanny knack for something in a particular area, intelligence, social "karma", and more.  Does it ever hit you, why me?  What is the purpose of more?

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

- 2 Corinthians 9:10,11

My man Paul is writing to the Corinthians and he's got tons of great knowledge to drop.  This is one of those great pieces.  In the verses surrounding, Paul is talking about generosity and giving to help the cause.  He talks about giving cheerfully, not begrudgingly.  He reminds them that Pops above supplies and it is up to us to be good stewards of what he has given.

Now there are many pretty sweeeeeeeeeeeeet things that happen when  we give. Good stuff.  But here we are talking about the purpose of more.  It says in these verses that the person who gives generously will be given even more!  It says that Pops who supplies the seed, will supply even more seed if we give that seed away.  So the path to more isn't hoarding, but sharing.  Go back and read that last sentence one more time. But why are we given more?  Now this part is pretty AWESOME!

We are given more so that we CAN be generous at EVERY possible opportunity!  We are given more so that we are enabled and empowered to enable and empower others!  And the result?  MASSIVE RIPPLE EFFECT BABY!  You have NO idea the lives being touched by your giving of what you have to enable another.  That one person could impact two. Those two could impact four, and BOOM!  The juice is loosed. Now imagine the repercussions if we instead hoard.... not good.

The purpose of more is to impact lives, to have a positive effect on our fellow men, women, and children.  The raising of the collective well being of all those around us by being selfless elevates the true quality of life and being of everyone.  And that, my friends, is when we start to really experience life!  Don't let it escape you!  You don't wanna miss it, trust me.  We are all blessed in unique ways, share it!  And watch as you are elevated ;-D

G-bless,

  - patrick

Da Word... 229! Resurgence

And we're back!  That's right!  It was a long hiatus, but we are back!

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted.

- 1 Corinthians 15:58

And there you have it!  Part of the reason I stopped composing these bad boys was the feeling that its effectiveness was waning.  Yup!  In fact, my plan was to create some kind of survey, send it out, and assess from the responses whether or not to continue.   Problem was I never got around to creating a survey!  And then well.... you know... time flew by...

But then three weeks ago I was in church, straight chillin'.  The pastor was doing a sermon on "generous living."  He then got around to that verse up above.  BOOM!  It hit me!  And you know what?  A couple of you out there shared the same type of thought with me way back when you noticed the disappearance.

What's the word?  The word on the street here is that nothing done for Pops above is wasted effort.  Now to be clear, this is not to say anything that's anything done "for" Pops above is not wasted.  There are plenty of things people do and claim they are doing FOR Pops... and it's just not true!  We are talking here about legit activity we do for Pops, like speaking the good news!

So to all you fellow soldiers, all of you who are towing the line, all of you who are in the trenches, take courage and take heart!  You can rest assured that your work will be fruitful whether or not you see the tangible results of your labor.  Our job is to remain strong and steady, to move forward!  And most of all, to remain ENTHUSIASTIC!  It is that enthusiasm, that knowledge that you and Pops are shoulder to shoulder, that will drive you.  You have NO idea the impact you are having.   And believe me, it is great!  Every once in a while a story will circle back around to you about how one small word you said changed a life, in fact saved a life.  Isn't that what it's all about?  Rise up homie and carry that torch!!!  A little further now ;-D

G-bless,

  - patrick

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Da Word... 228! Conduct son!

Oh, you just know a snake when you meet one.  Maybe not right at first, but after a couple dealings with such an individual, his or her true writhing, slithering form emerges.  And how do you feel about such a person?  Nothing good right?  Forget about hanging out with this person; any interaction is usually strictly confined to business.  If at all possible, you might even sever all dealings with this person if you could.  

The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

- Proverbs 21:8

Ain't that something? That one sentence right there explains the feeling we get when we do something with integrity and character and when we do it neither with integrity nor character.  It's just... BAM!  Let's pause for a moment and think about that snake again.  Why does such and individual really rub us the wrong way, maybe even unto the point of gagging?  It's because that snake's actions are quite devious!  Straight slimy even.  You stop and think to yourself, "How could anyone do something like that?  What is wrong with that dude?  I mean for real!? Has he no conscience?"

Yeah those are the kinds of emotions that start to bubble up, and hardcore too!  On the flip-side, one who conducts himself uprightly gives us such a refreshing feeling.  We're like, "Wow, that is a stand-up dude.  You know something, I'd like to get to know him outside of this business context. I'll invite him to the crib for grub and chillage."  In what is quite the opposite reaction, we tend to be drawn with awe to someone who acts uprightly.  Isn't that surprising!!!!  One who acts uprightly should be the norm!  Not the exception!!!!!

So what about us?  How do each of us handle our everyday interactions?  Are we being devious so that we can get what we want at the expense of someone less wise?  Or are we conducting ourselves uprightly and looking out for the collective well being of everyone?  The former is selfish while the latter is selfless.  Let's draw away from snakelike tendencies and sprint for uprightness.  Let's be that exception to whom many are drawn.  In so doing, a real legacy begins to form with real and foreseeable positive repercussions spreading to many upon many.  Besides... who wants to be called a snake!?  Stand against the tide and rise!

G_bless, 

  - patrick

Da Word... 227! Reconciliation

Reconciliation can be a tough thing to accomplish.  It sounds nice, but actually making it happen... MAN!  Why is it tough?  Because it takes two....

...that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.

- Paul ( 2 Corinthians 5:19 )

Paul is droppin' knowledge about why the Apostles and disciples are doing what they are doing.  It is wrapped up in what he calls the "Ministry of Reconciliation".   What is this reconciliation?  Hmmm?  Oh.. it's only the entire purpose of most of the Bible!  Genesis begins with creation, and then the fall.  The fall was the point of separation between man and Pops.  The rest of the entire Bible is about the most massive rescue operation known to the universe holmes!  And that... is reconciliation of creation and Pops.

Really?  Is that what all this is about?  Yeah kid!  Pops wants for us to experience all that he had intended.  I mean come on, we were created in his very IMAGE!  That means there exists extraordinary experiences we have yet to taste! And we can't until we are reconciled back to Pops.  That's why Christ came and died.  See, Pops used that death as the ultimate epic moment in reconciling us to himself.  Christ died so that God could reconcile us to himself and not count our sins against us..... BAM!

Ever try to reconcile a relationship?  It's near impossible if even one of the two parties does not cease to hold the wrongs of the other against him.  If these wrongs cannot be forgiven, dropped, or looked past, it will loom overhead like an unrelenting mass of dark clouds brimming with disaster.  Healing cannot occur if forgiveness, genuine forgiveness, is not extended.  Healing also cannot occur of both parties are not genuinely seeking reconciliation.   

Pops has given all.  His hand is outstretched and he is most genuine about seeking reconciliation.  Everything he has done is about seeking reconciliation.  The ball is now in our court.  Do we also desire reconciliation?  Homie has already extended forgiveness!  My sins are not being counted against me!  And so the path is WIDE open to make reconciliation a reality.  The question I gotta ask myself is this, am I willing to walk that path, to be genuine in my heart in my desire for reconciliation?  And if so, am I willing to take the steps to make it a reality?

G-bless, 

   - patrick

Da Word... 226! All about faith!

Sometimes an inordinate amount of attention is paid to what you do.  Is it always about what one does?  I mean... mustn't there be some kind of catalyst or other driving force that moves a person to act in the first place?  Is it truly all about the doing?  Or is there something more? Isn't it true that sometimes all it takes for a child to suddenly shine brilliantly and surpass his or her potential is someone believing in him or her?

Under what circumstances was it [faith] credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before?  It was not after, but before!

- Paul (Romans 4:10)

Here we have my man Paul droppin' some knowledge yet again.  He is talking about the patriarch Abraham from whence the nations of Israel and Ishmael draw origin.  See, "Abraham believed Pops and it was credited to him as righteousness" ( Rm 4:3 ).  In other words, homie was justified by faith!   Now that's great!  BUT... it gets even better.  

Abraham had it credited... BEFORE he was circumcised!   That, my friends, is HUGE!  Because under Jewish law, you gotta be circumcised.  For some reason, the Christian Jews at the time believed that God only justified or bestowed the Holy Spirit upon circumcised folk.  In the early days you had to convert to a Jew in order to be Christian!  What Paul says here directly flies in the face of that idea!

What point is Paul making?  He is making the point that obedience of the law is not what grants justification, or the grace of God.  It is FAITH.  Abraham wasn't even circumcised yet and Pops justified him...  So how could it POSSIBLY have anything to do with law?  huh?  It doesn't.  It has to do with the condition of one's heart.

In other words, it isn't all about what we do... it's all about faith.  And it is that faith that then impacts what we do.  See, faith is the driver.  It is by faith we are justified which gives us the limitless freedom to act.  That security allows us to act in a powerful way.  In fact, when we act we start to innately obey the law because the law is no longer some rule book that seems like a 12 ton chain.  Instead, the law becomes a part of our very being as a side effect in our quest to become more like Pops above.  In doing so, we start to think like He does, feel like He does, hurt like He does, and love like He does.

Bruthaz and sistaz, know this:  faith brings justification, not your acts;  your acts instead flow from your faith.  So take off that burden of thinking that obedience of the law to the letter is what will bring you salvation.  It won't, but it might drive you crazy because you can't. Naw lo, FAITH... faith is what will bring you salvation.  And then transform you from the inside.  Before you know it, you'll be doing the things of law innately as you become more and more like Pops above.   Word.

G-bless, 

   - patrick

Da Word... 225! Lift a finger

I bet you know some people that enjoy pointing out faults or making comments.  Sometimes we call them know-it-alls.  Aren't they some of the most annoying people in the world?  Yeah, fa' sho!  What's worse is that sometimes this kind  of person is oblivious to the fact that he/she is straight pushing people away!   Oy!  Not good not good.

Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them."

- Da Christ (Luke 11:46)

Yooooo!  My man J just laid the smack down on some Pharisees and teachers of the law kid!  These kats had invited J to dine with them.  And almost immediately these kats started noticing certain traditions J was "violating."  J himself noticed their noticing and found his teaching opportunity.  What follows was a host of "Woe to you...."  He laid them bare people. 

This woe in particular jumped out at me because there are a host of peeps just like this roaming the streets and many of our relationships.  People like this LOVE to point out something, make judgements, point the finger, the whole nine.  Yet in all of their screaming, they never EVER lift a single finger to help a brutha or a sista out!  No, they only break down but never build up.

A key example are many pro-lifers.  My girlfriend and I got into a discussion one time and she was telling me about a conversation she had with another individual.  What came out of it was the realization that many pro-lifers only spit "law", but don't back up their shouting with practical and tangible programs for helping people while in the path of life or in choosing the path of life.  You can't just say pro-life and then walk away.  What kind of .... is that? A host of issues emerge and need to be addressed.

These Pharisees and teachers of the law only sought to lay down the law and keep people down.  See, they had all the power and were living large.  They could be all pious, high and mighty; meanwhile the people suffered.  This is a recipe for disaster, division, and retribution.  We need to operate differently.  Let's not be that person or so-called friend who constantly pressures another and puts him or her down.  Let's instead seek to build people up even when we have to point out a particular flaw.  Destruction is good for no one.  But genuine interest and loving action in the development of our fellow brothers and sisters is beyond golden.  The strength of your relationships, communities, and organizations will grow ever stronger for it.  Buhlee dat.

G-bless, 

  - patrick

Da Word... 224! On Angels...

You ever wonder about the angels?  Like, what do they do?  Where do they go?  How do they roll?  Sometimes you come across passages that give a hint as to the abilities and purposes of angels.  Some of those passages may even have you dropping your jaw saying, "Whoa!  That is SWEET!"  

The angel answered, "I am Gabriel.  I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.  And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

- Gabriel (Luke 1:19,20)

The angel Gabriel was talking to this priest named Zechariah.  It turns out that this priest and his wife, Elizabeth, were to be the parents of Jesus' harbinger... John da Baptist.  But Zechariah was like, "Us? How? We are both old son!  Not to mention we have been unable to have children all these years."  That's when Gabriel spoke the above.  Homie had to lay the smack down about who he was.  

This angel, Gabriel, stands in the presence of God!!!!  What does that mean!?  In my mind it's sounding like this ain't no ordinary angel.  I mean THIS angel STANDS... in the presence of God.  Isn't the very presence of God this most awesome of experiences that it even evokes gigantic fear?  I mean the sheer presence of Pops would kill a man according to Scripture!  And yet... this Angel stands in His presence.  Wow.  That suggests a number of things.  One, it's probable that not all angels get to stand in the presence of Pops.  It sounds like there is organization and possibly a hierarchy of angelic beings.  Oooooooo!  Exciting!  It begs the question, how does Pops strategically align his forces? 

Gabriel also says that he has been sent to deliver a message.  So in conjunction with the possibilities above, this suggests that angels have specific jobs. It sounds like one of Gabriel's jobs is to be a messenger.  And not just any messenger, but the messenger with some gigantic, world changing news.   What else is Gabriel entrusted?  Hmmmm.... interesting!

Finally, Gabriel lays the smack down making Zechariah mute!  Can he do that!?  What does that mean? ....do angels have powers!?  How much autonomy do they have?  Did Pops instruct Gabriel to do this?  Or was this Gabriel's own doing? Like a perk associated with being entrusted as the messenger and he who stands in the presence of Pops to be able to do things in accordance with the kingdom?  Or... did Pops empower Gabriel to be able to do this, much like my man J empowered the disciples to do miraculous acts when he sent them out two-by-two?  

Hmmmm..... Well we know angels have choice.  The prime example is Satan himself.  He chose to go against Pops.  And then the Bible describes a battle that occurred in heaven where the result was Satan being cast out along with 1/3rd of the angels.  This 1/3rd of angels chose sides!  So angels have choice, angels have stations, angels have hierarchy... but do they also have powers?   I don't know, but it is interesting to think about.  We see a lot of what God has created here on Earth, but it is such a small piece of everything he has created.  Imagine what the heavenlies hold!

Remember, the Kingdom of Pops is much larger than what we can see or possibly understand.  Although we appear to be the crown of Pops' creation, and almost all is in an effort to reconcile us to Pops, there is so much involved beyond just us.  Think about it from time to time.  You'll again discover... wonder.  Not to mention to be yet again amazed at despite it all, we fragile humans are the crown of his creation and prized objects of his Love.   Sweeeeeeeet.  

G-bless, 

  - patrick

Da Word... 223! Law Shmaw!

Why is it that no one remembers the good stuff that happened, but only the bad stuff!? I mean seriously right? All the years of doing great things for someone seem like its forgotten in the blink of an eye when you make that one error. Why can't people lend us the grace to fail sometimes?

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

- Paul (Romans 3:20)

Yo my man Paul lays it DOWN in Romans! It's great! The book really attempts to push us off our high horse and to have a reality check. That's important, because we get grounded and therefore much more able to handle anything the world my try to throw our way.

So why don't people lend us the grace to fail? And why do they tend to remember the bad things rather than the good things. Well.... it's because the "bad" things, the personal affronts, HURT! The body is an amazing thing, the mind even more so. A kid who doesn't understand the concept of heat learns REAL fast the first time that young child touches a stove top. Do you remember your first time? Yeah... you didn't do that again did you? Why? The memory of that pain is so etched into your mind that you will never forget it. More technically, your mind creates a pathway in your mind that connects that experience to a pain center. Your body then becomes hardwired to issue tremendous warnings anytime you get close to doing that again. The signal is ever more acute. It's about survival, and it's a defense mechanism.

In the same way, an affront causes pain. Pain is easily remembered because it is etched. As a result, all the good we think we've done seems to unfairly get tossed out over one single affront. It's hard for peeps to extend grace once an affront happens because they don't want to be hurt again. Furthermore, we tend to want retribution. It takes a higher kind of human to be able to extend grace; it's a path not heavily traveled because it is not easy.

So what's the point? The point is that the Law, in this case the Law handed down by the Jews, is not sufficient for declaring one righteous! The Law exists only to make us conscious of what sin is. In much the same way, our friends, family, loved ones, and significant other have expressed to us a "law" of relationship. We tell each other what makes us happy and what hurts us. But once we step into the hurt territory... it's all sunk! We need something more. Mere observance of the Law cannot declare us righteous because it is NOT some simple weight scale. More good does not necessarily overtake bad, nor can it prove us righteous. What do we need? We need grace.....

In order to grow, we need to be extended grace, otherwise the path toward growth is immediately blockaded and there is no way forward. We've gotta extend grace to those who hurt us in order to allow some room for the relationship to heal and grow stronger than it has ever been. This is part of the reason why Pops above extends us unlimited grace. He knows our limitations and our tendency to fall. But if we are genuine in our desire and aren't arrogant enough not to ask for homie's grace, we will receive that grace and in immeasurable flow. By this grace, we can be declared righteous for Pops above is righteous.

Word.

G-bless,

- patrick