Discerning

¹⁴If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town...¹⁶I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 
       Matt. 10:14, 16

Judgmentalism and Discernment are like twin sisters: One is ugly as homemade sin and the other is a knockout beauty. Yesterday's post looked at judgmentalism--and she's still ugly. But, discernment is a beautiful thing in the life of someone who prays for it, exercises it, and reaps the benefits of it.

We have to be shrewd, even cunning, when it comes to choosing what streams we drink from, what spiritual/relational/intellectual food we ingest and metabolize, and what relationships we cultivate. But, the line between judgmental and discerning is hairline-thin. It's a matter of the heart.

Judgmental

The army of God is the only one who shoots its own wounded.

That statement hits just a little too close to home. Not because of wrongs I've suffered or wounds I've received, though. It hits so close because of wrongs I've committed and wounds I've inflicted. I've done it: Judging another person by deciding in my own mind what their motives, insecurities, and intentions are based solely on what they do.

When God chose David as the second king of Israel, he told Samuel during the vetting process that it's people who judge by appearances, but God examines the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). Whenever I have judged exclusively by externals, I've noticed that I'm excluding several significant internal realities:

1. The actual heart condition of the other person. Jeremiah 17:9 says that no one can understand the heart. That's God's job.
2. Hurt people hurt people. Whenever someone lashes out or attacks someone else for no reason they are responding out of their own woundedness. MONSTER CAVEAT: Explaining their attack in NO WAY excuses it.
3. It's possible--just possible--that I don't have all the facts. Maybe, just maybe, that person has genuinely prayed and sought God's heart and is following the leading God gave her. Maybe, there's a calling on her life that I can't or haven't yet considered that would explain why she does what she does.
4. Judging others' judgmentalism is...oh, what's the word?...judgmental! I can get haughty in a hurry when I've been wronged or someone close to me has been wronged.
5. The task of judging others has already been assigned--and I didn't get the gig. God promises that He will set everything to rights. He will account for every injustice, from the Holocaust to my haughtiness and everything in between.
6. Judging others wastes time that I will be held accountable for what I DO with it. A lot of people don't yet know Jesus and the extravagance of his love. What in the world am I doing wasting a nano-second on a job that's not mine? Lives are at stake.

Tomorrow, I'll post about judgmentalism's beautiful cousin that is separated by a very, very fine line: discernment.

Where do you see judgmentalism rear its hideously ugly, green head in your life?

Colt McCoy & the Cultivation of Character

When Colt McCoy was knocked out of the National Championship Game on the 6th play from scrimmage, he was eliminated from the most significant game of his career so far. No meter could measure his disappointment, frustration, anger, and loss.

Yet, his comments in the immediate aftermath of that experience reveal a character and faith that doesn't just happen. You can't create it on the spot in the moment. It has to be cultivated over years. Below is a clip from his post-game comments, but below that is an interview with Colt and his dad that we taped for Father's Day last year that provides amazing insight into how he was "prepared for the path" he's currently on.

Colt After-game Interview:


Brad & Colt McCoy LHC Interview:

Rev90 Checking In

MERRY NEW YEAR!

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE ATX as we shake out the holiday cobwebs and get back to a little bit of reality. 39 deg. and not a cloud in the sky. In pilot lingo, it's cold and clear, visibility unlimited.

What a great way to describe a new year! Unlimited visibility, unlimited possibility, unlimited hope. All of that unlimitedness feels really strong given the last four days of REV90. A few personal highlights:

*The creative, organizational, and relational genius of God. Reading through the first few chapters of Matthew, God's reminded me of all the history, families, and circumstances he orchestrated to prepare the world for the birth of Christ and the fulfillment of his plan for people. OVERWHELMING.
Reading, discussing, and discovering God as a family. Because of the holidays and some downtime, we've been able to read the daily readings as a family, discuss what we're reading and discover more of God through each other's insights and thoughts and what God is saying to us individually. HUGE blessing as a parent.
Some personal wins physically and morally as I've been reminded to be PURE physically. Individually, the wins are small, but I can already tell that collectively God is moving me more toward where he wants me and where he can use me more powerfully in every area of my life.


Let me know what you're doing and how God's using REV90 in your 2010 so far... Comment below.

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Expo Coaching

Over the years, Julie and I have had the privilege and blessing of meeting some incredible pastors and their wives. One couple at the top of the list is our good friends Bil and his wife Jessica from Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Christi.

In December, Bil is leading a mentoring event especially targeted for pastors and church planters titled Expo Coaching. This is a unique opportunity to learn from someone who’s done it and doing it at a high level. Bil will share his proven track record knowledge and experience in an in-depth format that will help you grow your ministry, make it stronger and healthier. Jessica will also lead a mentoring program for pastor’s and church planter’s wives. Ministry for those of us married takes the full effort of both in order for it to thrive. Bil & Jessica get it. Julie and I have been blessed by knowing and learning from Bil & Jessica and are honored to call them friends.

GREATER THINGS Unexpected Lesson #1

Last night, I got to share with some LHC'ers the vision behind the GREATER THINGS season of ministry and where God is leading our church in the next few years. We talked about prayer, planning, giving, more prayer, and uniting as a church family through this season of ministry. It was a time of sharing, questioning, praying, eating, and a LOT of laughter.

The Unexpected Lesson from last night's gathering was the flat-out fun of community. This morning, we're making plans for another round of gatherings in the New Year where other pastors and I get a chance to just go and visit the LHC Community WEBs and fellowship and enjoy the amazing blessing of the LHC community. From the very first days of our church's existence, it's been clear that our greatest asset as a church is the people who are LHC.

Thanks to Bill & Laurel Daniel for opening their home and their hearts to make it happen and to everyone who made the time to be there and be a part of this amazing adventure called the Bride of Christ.

If you've received an invitation to a GREATER THINGS gathering, I hope you'll be able to join us. If you haven't and would like to, email Sarah Williams at swilliams@lhc.org.

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