All too often I have seen a lack of leadership leave people and organizations frozen, unable to act, and eventually failing. I’ve seen it, you’ve seen it, and we will continue to see it. Unfortunately, that is an issue that we are facing head-on today.

I usually don’t talk politics in my blog. When I do, it’s usually just a summary of a recent event. However, today, I have to raise issue with just that; the lack of leadership. I’m not even going to discuss political parties in particular. I don’t want to get into the whole debate. I want to look at it holistically and non-biased. Today will be just about leadership.

This Friday, we face a mini-crisis called sequestration. This is simply a series of budget cuts that are automatically triggered due to the lack of action on the part of the government. If you want to read more about sequestration, you can read the Budget Control Act of 2011. In this Act, the government is required to cut approximately $85 billion from the budget immediately. That sounds huge. It sounds like progress. It isn’t. That’s $85 billion from $16 trillion. Translation? A drop in the ocean.

Every political side is currently blaming the other. That’s not news. That’s not news-worthy. What is at risk in this high-stake gamble is of no consequence to either party, but rather to those who put them there. If you are like me, you’re tired of it all. You’re sick of the rhetoric. Here’s what we need:

We need someone to step into the gap to make something happen. This person has to be a leader that can get something from both sides. We need a leader. I have seen nothing at this point that would lead me to label anyone in our current political stable as a leader. When was the last time we were this divided as a country? When was the last time that we so polar opposite on so many things? Where is the leader we are looking for to get something done? That’s the question. We can skirt around it and blame each group for lack of cooperation. That’s fine, but it does nothing.

What does all this mean to the common man? It’s like not having a household budget, and having one spouse always spending the money, and the other spouse wanting to keep the money. It’s one spouse blaming the other, and finger-pointing is common place. The home begins to crumble from within, and all because there’s no leadership, no plan, no one to stand in the gap and be willing to make the changes or take action. Each spouse has their family on their side explaining why it’s not his or her fault. The result is havoc, hurt, and usually divorce. In the bigger picture, we can’t just divorce our country.

We can, however, change them. It’s time to demand that our leaders actually lead.  It’s not time to plan for re-election; it’s not time to posture for gain. It’s time to represent the people. It’s time to take action. It’s time to lead.

We don’t have that currently. Sure, you might be able to name one or two people who you think are representing a particular group. Has that changed anything?  Have they stepped up and brought a solution to all people? Have they managed to bring a bipartisan answer?

Let me answer my own question; no. No they haven’t.

It’s time to pray.

What do we do? In a moment like this, we have to ask the right questions. What do you plan to do? What’s the answer? I’m not looking for what party should do what. I’m looking for a leadership answer. Do you have one?

Category: Failure, Integrity, Stand Up, Work
No Comments »

If “legacy” is what I want to leave behind me when I’m gone, then I have to know what that is, and then I have to know how to do it. I think we all know what we want our legacy to be if we stop to think about it. Maybe it’s to be different that the legacy you are walking in and through from your family’s history. Maybe you’re struggling to be your own man and not necessarily your dad, your grandfather, or anyone else. Or perhaps your desire is to leave a legacy similar to what I described in parts I and II of this series. Either way, if you have not done it yet, take some time to define your legacy. After you have done that, you’ll want to move on to next steps.

Let’s look at how to live a life worthy of the legacy you want to leave.

• Work on your relationships, but begin with God. All the relationships you have are important. In fact, many of them dictate your daily life’s activities. However, none of them measure up to the importance of your relationship with Jesus. That is the foundation of who we are. He created us, shaped us, and has a plan for us, so our relationship to Him is what helps us be the men we are called to be. Isaiah 64:8 says, “We are the clay, and You are the Potter. We are all formed by Your hands.” It’s so amazing to know that we have a purpose here. We’re never sure what that is, I don’t believe, until it’s revealed by the Creator. Then, once we have figured that out, we can focus on Him, how to serve, and then how to love and serve our other relationships. Believe me, you’ll love your wife better, you’ll be a better dad, you’ll be a better friend and an even better leader.
• “Wherever you are- be all there.” Jim Elliot spoke those words, but you and I need to repeat them. Here’s something that hit me hard. I cannot fully invest in my wife, my kids, or any other relationship that matters if I’m not fully there. I can’t give her half my attention and expect to get full results. I can’t give my kids half my attention and expect them to respect me and grow fully. It’s too easy today to be distracted. Yes, I have an iPhone. Yes, it’s a distraction. I have to do better at putting it away and being fully there. I’ve gotten much better. When I first got a Palm Treo and then a Blackberry, I was worthless. I was a kid with a new toy. Today, I can still be a kid with a toy, but too often I’m the boss with the email. Does that sound familiar? Think of how many times you have checked email, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever (your wife will probably say Pinterest). If you took that time and invested in one of your relationships, what would it look like?
• Always strive to be a man of integrity. What does that take? It takes a life of discipline and authenticity. You’ve heard this definition before, but integrity is who you are when no one is looking. It’s important to do the right things because they are the right things to do. I have to be authentic with that. I have to be the same person I project to be. It would be a shame for me to have an impecable public or work image, but have my wife not respect me because of my behavior away from public scrutiny. How could I expect praise if my kids didn’t know who I truly was or what I stood for? As harsh as this sounds, this is hard for us men. We are wired to work, to show our worth, to be competitive, to rise to the top, to be the best. There’s nothing wrong with that if we define what we are trying to be the best at.

Where are you today? What are you doing to leave the legacy you have defined in your head? Do others know it? Would they agree or would they scoff at the thought? Here’s the good news. You can start today. Regardless of where you are, you can start new. Your destination is not determined by your past, but by your direction. If you are off course, make it right. Change direction. If you are lost, ask for directions. But most importantly, ACT. Act today. Don’t wait. Define it, be determined, and attack it as you attack anything else. Only this time, it’s worth it.

Category: Calling, Friends, Integrity, Kids, Legacy, Marriage, Stand Up, Success, Time, Uncategorized, Work
No Comments »

It’s hard trying to break a habit. It’s even harder trying to break the stigma attached to that habit. If you smoke, you’re a smoker. If you give up, you’re a quitter. If this, then that. The labels come as the world sees your actions. That’s why today’s Christian has to understand that our actions speak volumes.

I’ve often heard of the person who wants to live life their way; rough, restless, sinful. They believe that in the end, they will ask God for forgiveness, and all is well. While some may be given that opportunity, it is dangerous to temp God, and then have the desire for that forgiveness after a life turned away from God.

On the flip side, there are those who say they are Christians. They had that moment when they believed they asked God to be the leader of their life, asked Jesus to be their Savior. Then, nothing changed. They continue to live life as they had before. It’s like buying a fire-insurance policy and then playing with matches in your house. Well, God doesn’t exactly operate that way.

I read out of 1 John 3 today. I usually read (and blog) from The New Living Translation of the Bible. Today, I will use that one as well, but I will also use The Message version as well. I like the modern paraphrase of some of today’s reading.

John sends us a warning in this chapter. When we come to Christ, we have to change.

In 1 John 3:4-6 (TNLT), he writes,

“⁴ Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. ⁵ And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. ⁶ Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.”

See, if we call ourselves Christians, but continue to live as if we are not, then we either don’t understand who God is, or just do not know Him at all. There is no sin in Jesus, so to continue on that path doesn’t make sense.

This isn’t to say that we don’t occasionally sin. We are human, we are flesh. We screw up, and that’s normal. The difference is we shouldn’t be doing it willingly regardless of what we know God says about it. Intentional repeated sin is a life that is not turned toward God.

Now let’s look at The Message version. Again, I like the paraphrase here.

“^4-6All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major disruption of God’s order. Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program. No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They’ve got him all backward.”

Wow. Well put! No one who calls him or herself a Christian “makes a practice of sin.” We can’t continue live in any way that doesn’t show a direct reflection of Him!

Now, John continues. He honestly could have just stopped right there. He didn’t have to go any further. It was pretty well explained. But, all scripture is God-breathed, and so, God had more to say on the subject!

In verses 7-10 of the NLT, John says,

⁷ Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. ⁸ But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. ¹⁰ So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.”

That’s pretty right-between-the-eyes isn’t it? It’s not just that we don’t know God or are confused about who He is when we continue sinning, but in fact, we don’t even belong to Him! If we maintain a sinful lifestyle, we maintain our allegiance to satan. We would then belong to satan! How’s that for Gospel Truth? Verse 9 explains why. ⁹ “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.” We can’t keep sinning because we are God’s children at that point!

Now, let’s go to The Message. Again, this one is well-put.

^7-8So, my dear children, don’t let anyone divert you from the truth. It’s the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah. Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil’s ways.

^9-10People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they? God’s seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. Here’s how you tell the difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test.

Are you starting to like this version yet? I really do. Not as an everyday Bible, but I really like it when I need to hear some modern in-your-face type discussion.

This verse is great. “The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God…”

See, we have to consciously, voluntarily, dogmatically, and purposefully make a change. If we won’t, then we can’t be considered a part of the family!

Let me encourage you today. Make a change. What is it that has your mind and your heart? What is distracting you and keeping you from committing to Him full time? I’m talking a life-style change? What sin is it that you just can’t give up right now? Is it a habit? Or is it something more than that? If it’s something that you can’t give up, then it’s a god to you. I heard this advice one time. “What ever it is that you won’t give up, God will eventually take it away from you.” How He does that varies, but it is something to think about.

Just know that He expects more from us. He expects a reflection of Him. He expects a life that reflects His love. He expects something different.

Prayer: “Heavenly Father, Lord, Jesus, I thank You today for Your word through John. How amazing it is to hear Your word in a way I haven’t in a while. Continue to speak to me, Lord. Show me what I need to change in my life. If I claim to be Yours, my life and my actions should show it. I need to make my life a reflection of You. Forgive if it is not, and give me the strength to make the changes I need to make. Convict me in this. I love you, Jesus, and I ask all these things in Your holy, precious name, Jesus…Amen.”

Category: Stand Up
No Comments »

It amazes me at the amount of reality shows on television today. Literally, there is a show for everything. What ever it is that you like, there is a show for that; drama, whales, cooking, pawn shops, modeling, you name it! What I like about a couple of these shows is that I can see what these people are really like. It is almost scary to see how they act toward other people, but when they are alone with a camera, or away from the action, you see how they really are.

I once read that character is who you are when no one is looking. Like these reality shows, so many people put on the dog and pony show while out amongst the people, but their motives and their heart are much darker.

Dictionary.com defines “Authentic” as, “not false or copied; genuine; real.” Why is it that we have such a struggle with being authentic? It’s because we are usually fed a pretty steady diet of lies. These lies tell us that we are never enough. We are never thin enough, muscular enough, pretty enough, smart enough, or even Christian enough. God doesn’t view us that way. Psalm 139:14 is where David says, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” We ARE who God created us to be. Sure, we are consistently being refined and shaped, but God has created us before we ever existed!

Johnny Diaz has a song called More Beautiful You. The chorus to it says:

There could never be a more beautiful you
Don’t buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

My favorite line there is actually the third one. You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do. Ever thought about that? There is something that you do, or you are going to do, that only you could do. What an amazing thought!

Second thought is this. Someone out there is waiting for me to do it. Someone out there is waiting for you to do it. Someone is always watching. Whether we realize it or not, we are always being looked up to by someone. We are modeling how to live to someone else. As a Christian, the scrutiny is even higher.

Paul told Titus about this. In Titus 2:3-5, he told the older women to “be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” See, there is that idea of modeling. If we are being watched, then ladies, this is what the younger women need to see from you. They may have no idea what it means to be a woman, or a woman of faith. How are you modeling to them?

Guys? You don’t get off easy. Paul addressed that in verses 6-8. Here, he tells us who are mature in faith to model as well. He says to “encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” We have an amazing opportunity to help shape a generation! If we are models, it is the most powerful teaching method. How often have we heard that we want people, our kids, our employees, to do as we say and not as we do? We model our expectations and our true desires by our actions.

It’s time to take that seriously. It’s not the mask we put on at work, at church, in public. It’s who we are in reality. And our Reality Shows.

Category: Stand Up
No Comments »

Yeah, Mini Me is a character from Austin Powers. It’s also what I think about when I look at my boys.Both of them are a little me.  It’s what I think about when I see Michaela next to Mandie. Both Caeden and Crewe have little bits and pieces that make me see myself in them, and sometimes I can’t figure out if that’s a good thing!

See, as much as I see in them, I know they are looking at me, too. Caeden told me the other day, “Dad, when I grow up, I want to be like you.” I didn’t think kids really said those kinds of things. That’s just in country songs. I was taken by surprise, and I asked him why. To which he responded, “Because you’re my dad. I love you.” Wow. That’s like everthing music overwhelming. I absolutely loved that he said that. Then I realized, wow, I’ve got two little guys and a daughter who are watching me all the time, trying to figure out what it means to be a man, what a man should be, and more importantly, do they see the love of Christ in me?

Of course, that made me think (yeah, I think too much sometimes!). How many times have I said that to God? Have I looked at Him and said, “God, I just want to be like You. You are my dad, and I love you.”

Makes you stop.

The first way that our kids see Christ is through our lives. Their impression of God begins with how we live. They see us every day not just at church on Sunday. They see us with our masks off.

Someone once said that true character is who you are when no one is looking. Maybe that’s a definition of integrity. But, if your kids were to talk to someone at church, and they started comparing notes, would they match up? I wonder that sometimes. Would they be “talking about” two different people, or would they compare notes and say, “Oh yeah, that’s Colby. That’s dad.”

Paul, in Ephesians 6:4, says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” If you’re like me, you got lost at the “exasperate” part a long time ago. So, I went to another translation. The Message version (which I have referenced before) says it this way, “Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.” What a beautiful picture! That’s what we do daily. Every day, we wake up, and in spirit, we take our kids by the hand, and show them Christ.

What picture are you am I showing them?

It begins with me. I must have that closer walk. I have to start each day by taking Jesus by the nail-scarred hand, and say to him, “Today, I want to be like you.”

My Mini Me’s are counting on it.

Category: Stand Up
1 Comment »