Karma, neh?

The idea of karma was brought up this week as someone mentioned, "that's karma." I know that a lot of people talk about karma as if it's a real thing, but I don't believe that it is.

Karma, as I understand it, is what some people believe is "payback". When you do certain things in life, whether good or bad, you will receive a reward that coincides with your acts. If you do good things, you will have good things done to you.

It seems to me that the idea of karma was created from a need to understand guilt. People live with the general understanding that there are rules that we live by. Whether they live in harmony with the Bible or some other code of conduct, they understand that there are good and bad actions. When we believe that there are approved methods for living, we feel guilty for not following those rules. By believing in karma, people find ways to justify their actions; if I do enough good things, they will outweigh the bad.

The reality, however, is that good or bad, we aren't judged on man's standard, but God's. If we don't live up to God's standard, then nothing else really matters. What we see as karma is the idea that when something happens that we deserve, we have a way to explain it. Isn't it possible, however, that when something happens that would be deserving, that it could just be part of life? I mean, we are hurt by people all of the time and yet when someone hurts us, we think that it's karma. Isn't that just part of life? When we speed in the car and then eventually get a ticket, it's not karma...it's just us getting caught.

I think we should stop trying to explain everything away and just accept the fact that life happens. When we get in trouble, it's an effect from us doing something wrong. So rather than expecting that it will affect what happens to us in the future, we should just accept blame and apologize to God.

No Greater Honor

Tonight, I saw God breathe life into a new creature. He had been living for 16 years before, but it wasn't a viable life. After he had decided that giving his life to Christ would completely change his life, he said to me, "Bryan, I owe you big time." At the time, I realized that I couldn't convince him that he owed me nothing, but I have faith that, in time, he will realize that I do what I do, because I love Christ.

I get a paycheck as a youth minister, but no amount of money can repay the feeling of leading someone to Christ. And leading someone to Christ never grows old. I can tell someone the plan of salvation in my sleep, but when they have the "aha" moment and God is able to speak breath into their life, I cannot help but feel the elation.

There is no way that he, or anyone else, can repay me for a moment in which I was but a witness. Christ renews Himself to me through moments like this, moments in which His covenant is played out. To be in pursuit of anything other than these moments is to practice futility. And, the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again with the same results: futility.

I intend to not let that honor go to waste.

Do the Unexpected this Time

I was waiting at a stop light, while on the way to Grandma's for our annual Thanksgiving luncheon, when I noticed a man and his son in the corner parking lot. The both got out of the car and slowly walked to a check-cashing store. The father pulled on the door handle, but when he realized that it was locked and they were closed for business, he turned to the son with a sigh. They both shuffled back to the car as they discussed what they would now do, since they wouldn't be able to get a cash advance.

As I waited there, still trying to get warm in the car, I was reminded of an incident in my life, in which I had met my limit with the bank (I love hearing the words "insufficient funds") and had to be turned away, because the store didn't take credit cards. Fortunately for me, I had the cash that I needed at home; but what about the man and his son, who dejectedly walked back to the car?

It seems that, in the holiday season, most of us are walking hurriedly to accomplish some task (gift shopping, grocery shopping, decorations shopping, etc.), and throughout the entire length of the holiday season, we completely lose track of time. In fact, last night, I had the amazing opportunity of administering my very first solo communion service, and I reminded the congregation that we cannot rush through it - we are charged with remembering Christ. And yet, that very night, as soon as church was done, I was rushing to the very next thing - I still had an agenda to complete.

This year, I challenge you to do the unexpected. Slow down your life and consider the God who gave us everything that we need. I can only postulate about the situation of the man on the street corner, who couldn't get a cash advance, but it seems that his time for payment had finally come. Rather than finding yourself with "insufficient funds", do the unexpected and life life for something other than money.

My family started a tradition a couple years ago that I hope we continue to observe: not giving gifts. Rather than trying to figure out how much money we're going to spend on each other, we spend time looking for an organization that could use the money more than us. This year, there is an opportunity to give young women a Christmas party in Thailand. Women, who are purchased for sex every evening, will be purchased for a Christmas party. For some of the women, this will be their very first Christmas. They will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, perhaps for the first time, and will have an opportunity to feel love, rather lust. Imagine the transformation that can take place in their lives, because someone decided to help them, rather than help themselves.

If you have it within your ability, do something for someone else. That's what Jesus did. As much as I hate to repeat fad, the phrase, "What Would Jesus Do?" is really quite appropriate. How did He give His life for you? In like fashion, give your life for someone in return. I guarantee that your life will be transformed, when you allow the unexpected to happen this year. Try it!

The Suckerfish Saga

A requirement of maintaining one's tank is that he/she also takes fish out that do not like to play nicely. The following is a story about a fish that would not play nicely...

So I says to Myself, "Myself, you really need to do something about that suckerfish. He's constantly harassing the other fish and he's grown too large for the tank."

Myself responded with, "How are you going to get him out (assuming he's actually a him and not a her - not that it really matters)?"

"Well," Self said as he looked pensively into Myself's deeply wondering eyes, "I don't really know. Alls I know is that I have to try."

And with that they began cleaning out the tank. On the first day of cleaning, the main priority was getting the tank operating at an optimum level. If they didn't catch the suckerfish on day one, that was OK. But by day two, if they didn't net the suckerfish, there was no way they would continue the project. It had to be that day.

As day two approached, Self and Myself were frightfully anticipating the imminent battle that was to occur on the high seas. Knowing that there was only one day in which they could complete the task, they threw everything in to planning and scripting how the battle would unfold.

At dawn, at the cusp of the terrifying moment, the anticipation of what lay beyond was almost too much to take in. The two young men marched into the room of terror to face their destiny. One grabbed the fish net, while the other took up a very nice, slightly used plastic pitcher that was previously used for making Kool-Aid and pink lemonade. Forward they went, knowing that their lives depended on catching the fish.

For what seemed like an eternity, but was probably more like two hours, the battle was played out. Strategically they fought the fish, while he knowingly avoided capture. When it seemed that he was on the verge of giving up, the boys gave a last-ditch effort to try and sack the elusive scoundrel.

Out of no where, the fish magically appeared in the net of Myself. Some say that Poseidon, himself, was the reason for the capture. Others insist that the fish gave up. Regardless of the reason, he was caught. His day had been marked and he would be no more.

The funeral dirge began playing as Self and Myself began hauling the bucket that contained the sukerfish to its final resting place. The march seemed interminable, but -

There was a plop on the ground! As Self and Myself looked into the bucket of refuse, they noticed that the fish was gone. Quickly, with palpitating hearts, they scanned the floor to find the suckerfish. With great speed, they found him and attempted to recapture him, but he hung tenaciously to the tile floor, sucking to save his life. The boys, however, were the victors, knowing that the suckerfish had little life to which he could cling. Again, they continued their slow, but steady march to the porcelain tomb of the suckerfish - the burial ground of its ancestors.

Upon entering the tomb, they quickly proceeded with dumping the fish down the toilet, knowing that to rid him from their lives, they could not wait any longer. As they kicked the toilet's flush-extender handle thing, they suddenly realized their error in judgement. He was a suckerfish and he was NOT going to go down the drain. The boys started sweating as they, again, kicked the toilet's flush-extender handle thing, but it was to no avail. The fish hung on for dear life.

After the third flush, they realized that a man was quietly sitting in the tomb next to them, listening to their hurried actions. Knowing that they could save embarrassment if they hurried, they ran out of the restroom and back to their discarded weapons. Self grabbed the pitcher, while Myself grabbed his trident. Running back, they hoped that the fish had lost all hope and released his grip on life; but upon reentering the tomb, they realized that it was a false hope.

Quickly scooping him out of the tomb they, once again, saw the quiet man's shoes. Not wanting to be found out, they left the tomb with all speed, never to return with another suckerfish. Not wanting to continue the agony, Self and Myself decided that the fish's life must be ended. They discarded him into an undisclosed trash can, never to see him again.

Life changed for the boys after that day. They were proud and strong, but they had learned an important lesson for life: know your enemy.

People Watching in Vegas

I'm sitting in the McCarran airport on the first of two layovers. Since I find people watching to be such a fascinating experience, I thought I would share some of my thoughts.

First, and foremost, people are way too concerned with looking good in the airport. I mean, really? Are you really looking to pick someone up in the airport or is that just some form of self-esteem boost that you get when flying? Now, I know what you're thinking...Bryan, I bet you're just as concerned about yourself as the person sitting across from you in the terminal. There is some truth to that, but I would also like to think that the self-awareness factor trumps...But I could be wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time. I think God created these for the purpose of spreading the fashion techniques lost from ancient Egypt.

Who actually plays the slots in the middle of an airport? Yes, obviously I can see the people sitting there, but I guess I'm wondering "Why?" I mean, I don't gamble, but if I was going to, I would rather do it in a different environment than an airport. I just seems so...cheesy...stupid...wasteful...insert your own adjective. And yet, they rush to it as if it's a "new" phenomenon. I wish I could just get inside of their heads and see what's really going on in there, which leads me to self-reflection #2: I should have been a psychologist. I think God created these people to sharpen all of the rest of humanity.

Then there are the people who look bored out of their minds. I guess you can group me in that category. A two-hour layover will do that to you. Then again, the three-hour that I have coming up will be fun. At least I have my laptop. Some people look as if they are going to fall asleep with their eyes open, because they dont' know what else to do. If a fly were to land on their nose, I'm pretty sure that they would try to grab it to pluck off its wings - dumb action is better than none at all, right? I think God created them to have fun, but they forgot it back at home.

Oh, and apparently not EVERYone has iPods these days. I guess I'm used to walking around with my youth group, in which everyone seems to "need" their portable music device just to function. Granted, I'm sitting here with a number of older individuals who might have a heart attack if the music was turned up too loudly. I think God created them for a relationship, but they missed that part of the Bible.

I also feel sorry for the people that are turned away at the terminal. Whether they missed their flight or were on standby, it's still rather sad to see them walk away dejected. They're definitely not as fun as the people who run on the people movers, because they're afraid that walking for themselves will strain a muscle. I think God created them for comic relief, but they haven't been given a microphone yet.

Oh, and I LOVE the guy carrying a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts onto the plane. How wrong is that? The people on the plane will probably kill him before they even take off. Just reminds me of when God created Cain...not sure that I have any other comments on that subject.

Finally, I have to wonder about the airport workers. I mean, they must have a wonderful time watching someone walk by four times due to the fact that they got lost and didn't listen to the directions the first time. Oops...five times. I typed too soon. Interestingly enough, "I Will Survive" is playing (when not interrupted by the annoyingly monotonous pages coming through the speakers) in the background and it seems a very fitting song for that poor lady. If I see her walk by again, I won't bother informing you. God created her...for a good reason. A very good reason and I'll try to remember to ask when I reach heaven.

Oh, and the guy who's shirt got pulled up in his backpack and is showing off his completely white mid-section.

And the guy with his "Vegas" shirt!

And the people wearing pajamas.

And the guy wearing his unsightly white undershirt in public...must not be married...

Oh - the guy in the muscle shirt with an interesting tan line.

And the lady who keeps answering her phone behind me, only to get the person on the other end to hang up as quickly as possible. Isn't that why they invented voicemail?

And the young parents who have never taken their three- and five-year-old kids out into public and are now not sure what to do with them.

And the guy wearing an outfit so similar to mine that it makes me wonder about my own wardrobe selection...

Oh, and I almost missed it! The lady who wears the "CHANGE" vest. Apparently she cashes in change for the people playing the slots...that's funny. We've moved away from an automated change dispenser and made the process more "customer-service friendly."

I guess I figured out what the lady behind me is doing on the phone. I guess she's returning all of her "voicemails;" but she says "so" and "um" a LOT. That would definitely annoy me...oh wait - it actually is.

And lastly, the guy who looks like he should belong to the Russian mafia, but is on "vacation" and trying to figure out how to use his portable music device.

Man, this is so fun when you get started - oh that lady looks like my mom - that I don't want to stop, but will if you happened to keep reading this far. Have a great day!

Joshua, My Colleague

I submit to you this statement on behalf of the exceptional work completed by Josh Flick during his term of service in my office. Rest assured that this is not an official document, but rather a personal reflection as a grateful colleague.

There are very few men to whom I can attribute the mark of integrity without reservation or hesitation. I, for one, cannot even attribute that quality to myself, because I know my inner spirit all too well. Josh, however, is the exception to the rule, and the following will outline his distinguishable service to the office and university.

I will start at the end and work backward, since today is still fresh in my mind. Up until the very last minute, anyone who did not know Josh personally would have thought that he was a long-term employee and would arrive at work the next morning for another dayʼs worth of work. On his very last day, he was moving furniture for the very people that were replacing him; he was filing, calling, helping through the duration of the day rather than wasting time around the office; he was doing everything that he normally did to provide an honest dayʼs work. Even when the temptation to leave early occurred to him, he stayed through his normal working hours. I asked myself why someone would do this, but came up with only one answer: integrity.

But one day should not be the entire measure of this man. Every single day, with the exception of a handful of days which required his attention elsewhere, Josh came in on or before time, took a short lunch, and then stayed until the office closed. There was no need for him to give an extra half hour or hour each day, but he did, because he was asked to keep his shift late. Could he have taken a longer lunch? Yes, but there was always someone or something that needed his attention and his full attention was continually given.

When told that he was working his last day as if it were his first, his response was, “Why should today be any different? Why should today change?” What I find most unfathomable about this situation is the fact that Josh was not here to be taught, but to teach. In each and every moment of his work, he was dedicated to making the life of someone else more pleasing, more productive or more secure in Christ. If anyone deserves to be blessed of God it is him.

I normally do not consider that any human should deserve God's blessing, but if I changed my opinion, Josh would be one of the select few. So I pray God's richest blessings upon him for his influence, his character, his integrity, and his continual Christ-like love. When someone proves to be a true Christian, I think they should be recognized, if only to show others that it is possible to do. May his example shine for others to catch and adopt.

Blessings Joshua!

The State of Contentment

In Philippians 4, Paul talks discusses contentment: what is contentment; how do we view contentment; why contentment is necessary. The more I consider Paul's words, the more I am inclined to think of him as super-human. Was he really content in every situation or was he just talking for the sake of encouragement?? Knowing Paul, as the rhetorician that he was, he probably wasn't talking to just fill space. So, if that is the case, how did he do it?

Thinking back on Paul's past, he was ship-wrecked, beaten and left for dead, imprisoned, and ultimately sent to face Caesar. Not that I'm equating myself with such a great man, but I see myself as very similar to Paul. I am starting to think that God had to continually break down Paul's pride. Growing up, I always thought of Paul as the "example" - that the stories in the Bible, while true, were given to use for encouragement. But, the older I get, the more I realize that Paul had some personal issues that had to be addressed. Maybe he could only learn contentment after God had allowed him to face so many terrible situations.

Therefore, I'm inclined to think that Paul could only find contentment after allowing himself to be made free in Christ. For Paul, that journey took him through trial after trial. Could he have learned after one major catastrophe? Sure! But do you? Do I? But please do not confuse contentment with complacency. Those are two very different words, but are often equated to mean the same thing. God could only speak to Paul, after he had been emptied of Paul.

So what does this mean in terms of life today? Well, the most immediate answer that comes to mind is that I have to understand that, despite my circumstances, I am going to face trials. Each of those hardships is going to give me an option or a choice: do I allow God to change my life or do I continue to resist His perfect and pleasing will? Often, I have the audacity to tell God that my way is better. Once I finish stating my case, He says, "OK, let's try this again." After about the fourth or fifth attempt, God finally gets my attention and I start to learn contentment for that particular situation.

For me, the process of learning contentment goes in stages. While I am a very quick learner at work or with other skills, I can't seem to master the idea that God's plan is ALWAYS better than mine. So the tango that He and I dance, seems to be a long one. My encouragement to you is this: when you hear God saying, "Go," "Stop," "Wait," listen to Him. He really does have a good inkling for what should happen to keep the world spinning.