Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Friends

I thank God for my friends. God has blessed me with a handful of really great and diverse friendships. I have friends that challenge me intellectually. I have friends that challenge my faith. I have friends that challenge me spiritually. I have friends to argue with, laugh with and cry with. I have young, middle-aged and older friends. I have friends that are more liberal than me and I have friends that are more conservative than me. I have friend that can address every need that I have. Somewhere between all of their influences I think I will be safe. Thank God for friends.




Thursday, January 12, 2012

Innovation or Paradigm Shift

The second attribute of imaginatively gridlocked relationship systems is a continual search for new answers to old questions rather than an effort to reframe the questions themselves. In the search for the solution to any problem, questions are always more important than answers because the way one frames the question, or the problem, already predetermines the range of answers one can conceive in response. The critical difference between what is now popularly called a paradigm shift and what might otherwise be simply an innovation involves precisely this change in focus from answer to question. For example, at some point in history someone realized that solid wheels could be made much lighter by cutting away pie-shaped slices and leaving only spokes. That was certainly a useful, facilitating innovation that produced a new answer to the question of how to overcome the cumbersomeness of wheels. But the paradigm shift of transportation that opened imaginative new ways of thinking was the wheel itself! Innovations are new answers to old questions; paradigm shifts reframe the question, change the information that is important, and generally eliminate previous dichotomies.

Friedman, Edwin H. (2007-02-01). A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix (Kindle Locations 783-787). Church Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Merit or Mercy

The blessing and favor of God cannot be merely a matter of merit; it must be a matter of mercy. Recently I began to mentally itemize the reasons that God should bless me. The Spirit quickly began His own itemized list of reasons as to why I should not be blessed. The Spirit's list was longer and more significant than my list. God was trying to remind me that His blessing and favor flows out of His mercy and not my merit. Trust!

Monday, January 9, 2012

"If I Were Your Friend" by Martyn Ballestero

If I were your friend, I would love you regardless.

If I were your friend, I would stand by you when no one else was brave enough to.

If I were your friend, I might know negative things about you, but I’d still love you.

If I were your friend, I might not approve of all you do, but I would still love you.

If I were your friend, I would never stab you in the back.

If I were your friend, I’d never give up on you.

If I were your friend, I would love you even when it wasn’t popular to do so.

If I were your friend, I would defend you against rumors and lies.

If I were your friend, I would pray for you and with you when you needed help.

If I were your friend, I would celebrate your achievements.

If I were your friend, I wouldn’t try to make you just like me.

If I were your friend, I would only offer criticism or advice, if you asked.

If I were your friend, I might not agree with you, but I would always love you.

If I were your friend, I wouldn’t let you down.

If I were your friend, I would never walk away.

If I were your friend, I would accept you like you are.

If I were your friend, I would never say anything to hurt you.

If I were your friend, I wouldn’t let you choose my enemies.

If I were your friend, I would cry when you cried.

If I were your friend, I would laugh when you laughed.

If I were your friend, I would be loyal even if others weren’t.

If I were your friend, I would keep God in the center of our friendship.

If I were your friend, I would still be your friend when I died.

If I were your friend, I would consider it an honor.

If I were your friend, I’d never get in your way, unless you were going down.

If I were your friend, I would love you regardless.


One might ask, “Isn’t that going a little over the top with friendship?” Maybe so, but I don’t know how else to interpret what King Solomon said!

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.