Tag Archive: relationships

DR: Vital Connection and Vital Knowledge

August 3, 2022 0 Comments

Read Luke 3:21-37

“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Jesus comes from the crowd that had gathered with John the Baptist in the wilderness and is baptized with them. Luke’s record does not include the conversation Jesus had with John.


Instead, Luke emphasizes the vital relationships of Jesus to the Spirit and the Heavenly Father.
Jesus is connected to the crowd. Jesus is connected to a long line of ancestors. But, his vital connection in God is also emphasized. Notice:

Jesus is praying.
The heavens open.
The Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus.
A voice from heaven says, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Vital connections are required for purposeful ministry. “Now Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.” Most essential from the Heavenly Father’s view seems to be the affirmation of Jesus’ belovedness. Perhaps this is vital knowledge for us too! Belovedness is not drawn from what we do, but from the heart of the Beholder.

Heavenly Father, As a child adopted into your family through Christ Jesus, I ask that you to send your Spirit to me again that I may know my belovedness before your eyes. I cry out to you and commit myself to the way of Jesus. Neither the crowd or my ancestors are adequately  sufficient for the task of filling my soul with purpose, love, and sustaining power for life. Come Lord, Come. In Jesus name, Amen.

Daily Readings, Discipleship

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Did I tell you about Monday?

September 27, 2017 2 Comments

Did I tell you about Monday, when I a wore a shirt inside out all day long and nobody said anything till the end of the day; till like 10 PM, “Did you know you shirt is inside out?” By that time, I had been a lot of places and had a lot of meetings.

 

I didn’t know.

 

It wasn’t a purposeful act of rebellion. It wasn’t even an act of style.

 

I just didn’t know. And to look closely — you would know.

 

So here’s what I’m left trying to figure out:

Did all those people who I sat directly in front of and talked with me for about 45 minutes at a time

also not notice or not care?

or feel too embarrassed to point out a problem?

 

Or maybe its me. Am I not approachable, accessible, and receptive to questions and criticism?

Have I created a culture around me that is reluctant to point out what might be wrong?

There’s a proverb that says, “He who builds a high gate invites destruction.” (Proverbs 17:19)

 

This is a problem. We live in a day when “our insides are out” a lot! Words are showing what is in the heart. But are we reluctant to do the Gospel work of inquiring about what is on display. It appears that criticism and truth-telling is considered disloyalty… even if the emperor has no clothes on. Perhaps the most valued capacity for the future is moral courage.

 

Well at least I had clothes on.

 

These are the things a leader must wonder about.

So here’s permission: next time you see me with my shirt on inside out, please tell me. I’ll appreciate you. I’ll probably go change it because it means I did my whole morning routine without my glasses, and didn’t notice!

You know who said something? My wife. She knows she has permission! Plus, she loves me.

 

Leadership

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