Kindness

Who hasn't seen the bumper sticker: "Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty?" Seriously, the first time I saw it, I thought it was a joke...but I didn't get it. I was thinking "whoever made that up isn't very funny."

When I realized it was for real, I felt a lil' stupid, and I thought it was kinda cool. It's like another version of the Golden Rule, ya know? I was reminded of it by an older movie I just watched yesterday called "To End All Wars." It's a pretty heavy war movie (definitely not light-hearted), but has a powerful message.

I had heard the story of a WWII prison camp where the Allied prisoners studied philosophy and Bible scripture together at what they called Jungle University. Through the hope and inspiration they discovered in their learning, they were able to complete their forced labor--building the Thailand-Burma railroad--ahead of schedule and won the hearts of their captors. That's the story this movie tells.

One of the biggest God-truths that I've rediscovered since working with Mercy Church comes from Romans 2:4 "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" As I watched this movie, that truth came to mind. As half-starved prisoners truly practiced "random acts of kindness," the very men who oppressed them...many to death...became witnesses of something amazing, transforming, and other-wordly. It transcended culture, language, and even war.

In Psalms, David writes about the "lovingkindness" of God often...I think we could definitely use a lot more of that in our world. The kind that takes the initiative, makes no sense, and expects nothing in return. What power lies therein!

Faith

Cinnamon raisin biscuits from Hardee's...they don't have 'em anymore, but they used to, and they were the bomb! They had this warm, gooey white frosting if they were fresh, and my brother and I would always get 'em on the mornings that Dad woke us up early before school to go to breakfast.

That's what came to mind as I did my devotion the other day in Ephesians 5 & 6. Dad always prayed with us on the drive from Hardee's to the junior high, and part of that prayer was the "Armor of God" from Eph. 6:10-20. When I read it again over the weekend, vs. 16 brought me to a halt. The version I read said, "Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."

It's that "above all" part that got me. There are several Godly attributes listed here: truth, righteousness, peace, salvation, prayer...but it's the "shield of faith" that gets the mantra "above all." Why? I thought about it a lot, and I came up with three reasons that resonate with me:

• We can lead a "good" life, doing our best to tell the truth and do the right thing, but if we don't have a real faith in our hearts that believes in a real God, what's it all for anyhow?Heb. 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

• I don't think that most people consider faith as a shield. It seems they treat it more as a banner, waving it around and knocking others who don't believe the same way in the head with the flagpost. What's up with that?! A shield is primarily a defensive weapon... Maybe it would serve us believers well to stop flailing around so much and live out our beliefs meekly, keeping our shield up and our hands free to do some work for God.

• Many people struggle with self-doubt, including me. I read a book that showed me that my greatest strength is BELIEF. That has really changed the way I look at my life. Do I really believe in God? Do I really believe in the big dreams that He's put in my heart? Do I really believe in myself enough to get there? I should...because He does.

Take up your shield...you might be surprised by what doesn't bother you anymore!

Wonder

I've been on vacation with the fam all week down in Gulf Shores. We've been chillin' at the beach or the pool most of the time, but on Wednesday I got to go deep sea fishing--a Father's Day idea my wife had (ain't she sweet!).

So I caught about five fish, all just big enough to swallow my bait and leave nothing for the big guns...but it was still a lot of fun. We went through a couple of rainstorms (I momentarily lapsed into a state of panic from a flashback of "The Perfect Storm") and saw some dolphins on the way back to shore.

As we cruised along through the surf, I was struck again by the sheer magnitude of the world that God has made. Not only the size, but also the incessant activity of it all...the endless swelling of the ocean, the sophisticated ecosystems that function without us even knowing, the weather systems that feed the earth with necessary rain. None of it misses God's watchful eye.

Not only that, but God is incredibly interested in each of us--Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." He places each of us at a strategic point in history, designs us for success in the role He's gifted us to play, and He stands ready and willing to help us achieve the goals that He has planted within our hearts. AND He's personal about it--Matt 10:30 "And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered." To think that He knows the millions of trillions of hairs on the heads of the billions of people that have ever walked the face of the planet is almost beyond comprehension. He knows us inside and out!

In Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller writes that one of the highest forms of worship is wonder. I think he's right. When I stop trying to verbalize everything in my heart to God and just stand there in speechless reverence, something happens. I feel small...because I am small. I feel humble...because He's so great. I feel loved...because I am loved.

May we never lose our sense of wonder.