Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast!
Before diving into this weeks Happy Friday I would respectfully like to ask you all to be praying for those impacted by the fires in California. The devastation, the loss, is unimaginable. Thank you.
What a past 72 hours it has been! Thursday night was Senior Night for the University of Houston Football, it was the last home game of the 2018 season. With this, Payton ran out onto the field for the last time. My Beautiful Bride, my other two Tender Warriors and I were out on the field waiting for him, along with the other families of our seniors. While very emotional, I did not experience a feeling of sadness. I felt a sense of great gratitude - to God, to Payton's coaches & teammates - and an unexplainable admiration for a young man who cherished a dream in his heart since he was a little boy, who had the courage to pursue it and who gave fully of himself to attain it! His example has preached a powerful sermon to me and for this I am so very grateful!
The other part of all that is we got home a little after midnight Thursday night/Friday morning so Happy Friday did not happen yesterday morning. So here I am now!!! :)
Last week during the sermon I watched, the Pastor made a passing comment about guarding our hearts. While it was only briefly mentioned it hit me, well, right in the heart. I have thought about "guarding our hearts" several times during the week. This week I want to talk about guarding our hearts, and give us some tools to do just that.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Please think about that for a moment. Why do some people look at things positively while others seem to only see the negative? Above all else, guard your heart... Why are some people always joyful, regardless of the circumstances, and others are often discouraged and crushed by circumstances? Above all else, guard your heart... Why are some people always willing to help and others seem to almost run away when their help is needed? Above all else, guard your heart... Why do some people fearlessly pursue the goals & dreams of their hearts while others are afraid to live? Above all else, guard your heart...
Faithgateway.com posted on August 3, 2018 a brief lesson that captures it beautifully.
"Have you ever said something and wondered where that comment came from? Or maybe an idea crossed your mind that you wouldn't tell your best friend about - and exactly where did that come from? Or maybe you did something completely out of character and ask yourself, What was I thinking? We read in Proverbs that everything - our words, our thoughts, our choices, our decisions, our priorities - comes from our hearts. When a heart is full of God's love, beautiful words and ideas flow from it. Are you paying attention to your heart? The wise writer of Proverbs warned us to guard our hearts. We need to protect our hearts against bitterness, impatience, and greed, against jealousy, idolatry, and anger. These traits will overtake our hearts if we let them."
Before sharing a few tools to actually guard our hearts, I feel compelled to also share 1 Samuel 16:7 which says, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
That lines up completely with society, right? Hardly! We are so concerned with status, likes, etc. that we give very little thought to the heart of the person. And we wonder why things happen the way they happen, why there is so much evil in the world. Perhaps if we became more concerned with the spiritual condition of our hearts and less concerned with our status, this world would become a little better place.
Instead of simply saying, "Guard your heart" and wrapping this thing up, I wanted to give us some practical tools in how to do so. Mike Mobley wrote an article, which I found at beforethecross.com, titled, "7 Ways to Guard Your Heart." I am going to share some excerpts here and I would encourage you to go to beforethecross.com and read the full article. As for the excerpts:
"Vigilance is defined as the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger and difficulties. That's exactly what God calls us to do with our hearts. We are to pay extra attention to our hearts and watch them closely. There will be dangers and difficulties we will for sure face in this life, and we should be ready."
"The springs of life...where someone does all thinking, feeling, and choosing doesn't come into our hearts from external circumstances, but rather flows out of our hearts through the Holy Spirit. At the end of the day, what you do reveals your heart."
"Here are 7 ways to guard your heart:
1. Protect Everything That Comes In
We need to use to use wisdom in what we allow into our hearts. We only have a limited
time each day to make much of God, so what are we being influenced by, listening to, or
looking at?
2. Persevere In The Face Of Difficulties
There will be times that you don't feel the Lord's presence or feel like He is listening to
your prayers. Persevere! Trust that He is always completing a good work in you. Believe
that the Lord will prevail, in all things. As you persevere, you will continue to grow in
Godliness and your heart will be strong.
3. Follow What The Lord Is Leading You To Do
What is God asking you to do? What do you desire and just can't stop thinking about?
How do you want to serve the Lord with that desire? Chances are, that's the thing God is
calling you to do. Trust Him and go for it! The longer you quench that desire, the more
strain you are putting on your heart.
4. Cultivate An Atmosphere Of Community
Your heart needs people constantly pouring into you, and you need to be pouring into
people. There's a constant flow coming in and out as you love and serve others. People
need to hear about Jesus and you need to grow in the Lord with your family that you'll
be with for all eternity.
5. Keep Priorities High And Do Not Compromise
Yes, we love and serve one another, but not to the extent of compromising the priorities
and values the Lord has given us. Once you make a little compromise here or there, you
begin to add toxicity to your heart. The good news is that if you keep them, you heart will
grow in wisdom.
6. Trust The Lord With Rest
Whether you need to start observing the Sabbath, or just need to take a deep breath and
let the Lord do the work instead of you, be encouraged to trust Jesus and rest. Let your
heart rest. The yoke is easy...the burden is light.
7. Preach The Gospel To Yourself Each Day
This last one sums up everything above and couldn't be more important. The Gospel
isn't just a "one time" thing and a ticket to heaven, but something we all need each and
every day...really every minute. The second we take our eyes off of the cross we forget who
we really are. Our hearts need to be reminded that while we still sin, we are forgiven,
redeemed, and are children of God!"
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for your or your families. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kev
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Friday, November 9, 2018
The Space
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious, soggy, Friday begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast! :)
This week I want to share a couple of thoughts/challenges with you. A few weeks ago my sweet sister, Tammy, sent me a text encouraging me to listen to the sermon that the Pastor at her church had preached. I did listen to that sermon, and the next one! This Happy Friday is based on that 2nd sermon.
The Pastor is Waylon Sears, and he is the Lead Pastor at Victory Worship Center in Tucson, AZ. He is currently preaching a sermon series titled, King Me: Lessons From The Rise, Fall and Triumph Of A King. The sermon I am referring to is titled, "King of Encouragement." You can find listen to the sermons at vwcaz.org.
Pastor Waylon started off the sermon speaking about the fact that we all face discouragement and get discouraged. That is a part of life, a part of being human. As Pastor Waylon noted, all of us are either in a storm, coming out of a storm or getting ready to go through one...it's just a part of the honor & privilege of being on this journey called life. The question is not whether or not the storms of nature and/or life will come; the question is what will we do with them?
Pastor Waylon threw out a statement that I thought was profound - not really sure where it fits in all of this so I will put it here...the luxury of being the one writing Happy Friday!!! :) He said, "If we focus on our circumstances, we will become fearful." So the question is, where will you get your encouragement? Or, what will encourage you? Discouragement strikes us all. Some look for encouragement in people - flawed just like you and me, alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc. Sadly, these paths often lead to death and destruction of spirit, mind, body and/or family. But there is another option for us. Let me briefly share a part of 3 separate translations of 1 Samuel 30:6:
- "but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." (KJV)
- "but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." (ESV)
- "but David found strength in the Lord his God." (NLT)
So the question Sweet Friends, is how are YOU, and I, encouraging, strengthening and finding our strength? It is a choice we have to make, will make, and the consequences of those choices do, in fact, have eternal consequences.
The second part that I want to share with you this morning is what Pastor Waylon referred to as "the space." The space is that season of time between when we feel we have heard God tell us something, we feel a conviction of something in our Spirit and the season when that hope or dream that was planted in our hearts comes to fruition. Ever been there? You know in your heart of hearts that you are supposed to do something, you step out in faith according to this conviction and then...crickets! Nothing seems to be happening. You start questioning yourself and, perhaps, God. You get mad, angry, frustrated. Ever been there? I know I have.
And then Pastor Waylon gave a perfect, beautiful illustration. Would you go out today, plant an apple seed and then go out tomorrow and pull lush apples from a fully matured tree? Would you expect to do so? Of course not! That would be foolish. So why do we expect the seeds planted within the deepest recesses of our hearts to bear fruit instantly. As Pastor Waylon said, it is easy to understand in terms of agriculture, very hard to walk out in life.
Just as the seed planted in the ground has to be watered, fertilized and nurtured to grow to become all it was created to become, so do you and I. The things we are going through after we have the seed planted in our hearts are the water and fertilizer we need to grow to become all that we were created to become. For days, weeks, months, and even years, it can seem like nothing is happening and yet the seed buried in the heart is germinating...if only we will allow it to do so.
And, Pastor Waylon made another great point; have you ever noticed whether you plant grass in your yard or put in rocks, weeds always grow. Always! Why?! You don't have to plant and nurture them, they just show up! Just like we have to pull weeds from our yards - at least those of us who want our yards to look nice do!!! :) - we have to pull the weeds that try to crowd the harvest of our hearts. The weeds of the heart are discouragement, worry, regret, fear, and the like. While you don't have to intentionally plant them, they will show up. If we don't get rid of them, they will choke out the beautiful seed that has been planted.
So, the 2nd question/challenge, is what are you doing with the space? Are you growing and maturing so you can be the fruitful tree that you were created to be? Are you growing your faith, or your fears? Absolutely not easy; absolutely essential to produce your beautiful fruit!
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your precious family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious, soggy, Friday begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast! :)
This week I want to share a couple of thoughts/challenges with you. A few weeks ago my sweet sister, Tammy, sent me a text encouraging me to listen to the sermon that the Pastor at her church had preached. I did listen to that sermon, and the next one! This Happy Friday is based on that 2nd sermon.
The Pastor is Waylon Sears, and he is the Lead Pastor at Victory Worship Center in Tucson, AZ. He is currently preaching a sermon series titled, King Me: Lessons From The Rise, Fall and Triumph Of A King. The sermon I am referring to is titled, "King of Encouragement." You can find listen to the sermons at vwcaz.org.
Pastor Waylon started off the sermon speaking about the fact that we all face discouragement and get discouraged. That is a part of life, a part of being human. As Pastor Waylon noted, all of us are either in a storm, coming out of a storm or getting ready to go through one...it's just a part of the honor & privilege of being on this journey called life. The question is not whether or not the storms of nature and/or life will come; the question is what will we do with them?
Pastor Waylon threw out a statement that I thought was profound - not really sure where it fits in all of this so I will put it here...the luxury of being the one writing Happy Friday!!! :) He said, "If we focus on our circumstances, we will become fearful." So the question is, where will you get your encouragement? Or, what will encourage you? Discouragement strikes us all. Some look for encouragement in people - flawed just like you and me, alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc. Sadly, these paths often lead to death and destruction of spirit, mind, body and/or family. But there is another option for us. Let me briefly share a part of 3 separate translations of 1 Samuel 30:6:
- "but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." (KJV)
- "but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." (ESV)
- "but David found strength in the Lord his God." (NLT)
So the question Sweet Friends, is how are YOU, and I, encouraging, strengthening and finding our strength? It is a choice we have to make, will make, and the consequences of those choices do, in fact, have eternal consequences.
The second part that I want to share with you this morning is what Pastor Waylon referred to as "the space." The space is that season of time between when we feel we have heard God tell us something, we feel a conviction of something in our Spirit and the season when that hope or dream that was planted in our hearts comes to fruition. Ever been there? You know in your heart of hearts that you are supposed to do something, you step out in faith according to this conviction and then...crickets! Nothing seems to be happening. You start questioning yourself and, perhaps, God. You get mad, angry, frustrated. Ever been there? I know I have.
And then Pastor Waylon gave a perfect, beautiful illustration. Would you go out today, plant an apple seed and then go out tomorrow and pull lush apples from a fully matured tree? Would you expect to do so? Of course not! That would be foolish. So why do we expect the seeds planted within the deepest recesses of our hearts to bear fruit instantly. As Pastor Waylon said, it is easy to understand in terms of agriculture, very hard to walk out in life.
Just as the seed planted in the ground has to be watered, fertilized and nurtured to grow to become all it was created to become, so do you and I. The things we are going through after we have the seed planted in our hearts are the water and fertilizer we need to grow to become all that we were created to become. For days, weeks, months, and even years, it can seem like nothing is happening and yet the seed buried in the heart is germinating...if only we will allow it to do so.
And, Pastor Waylon made another great point; have you ever noticed whether you plant grass in your yard or put in rocks, weeds always grow. Always! Why?! You don't have to plant and nurture them, they just show up! Just like we have to pull weeds from our yards - at least those of us who want our yards to look nice do!!! :) - we have to pull the weeds that try to crowd the harvest of our hearts. The weeds of the heart are discouragement, worry, regret, fear, and the like. While you don't have to intentionally plant them, they will show up. If we don't get rid of them, they will choke out the beautiful seed that has been planted.
So, the 2nd question/challenge, is what are you doing with the space? Are you growing and maturing so you can be the fruitful tree that you were created to be? Are you growing your faith, or your fears? Absolutely not easy; absolutely essential to produce your beautiful fruit!
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your precious family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
Friday, November 2, 2018
It's Not About You, Or Me
Happy Friday Friends!
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day is dawning on the Texas Gulf Coast! I am so excited for this day - I took the day off and I get to spend a special day with my Beautiful Bride! :)
I want to start off by sharing several short stories with you.
Last weekend was the Black & Gold World Series for Gehrig's baseball team at Tyler Junior College and Payton & the University of Houston Cougars were taking on the University of South Florida. So, how does a Dad be there for both of his sons? Let me break down what I did. I went to work and honored my commitments at a function we had over lunch. As soon as my commitments were fulfilled I hoped in my truck, went to the house, loaded up the truck for the trip to see Gehrig and took off. GoogleMaps was clutch! I was rerouted and rerouted and after a nearly 4 hour drive, 0 stops - had to monitor the sweet tea intake! :) - I arrived at the stadium exactly 10 minutes before the 1st pitch. The game then went 11 innings - wasn't counting on that! At a little before 11:00 p.m., Gehrig and I got to go out to dinner together. We had a great time, talking about life, school, baseball, etc. We unloaded the stuff from my truck into his and then I took off for the hotel and he went to his dorm. Sometime a little after midnight I checked into the hotel and took a quick nap. Up at 4:30 a.m. I was on the road a little before 5:00 a.m. Arrived back home around 8:45 a.m. and started helping Kath pack for our tailgate. At 10:00 a.m. we took off for the game. At exactly 12:30 p.m., we were standing outside TDECU Stadium to greet the Cougars as they arrived at the stadium for Cougar Walk - the first time Payton had actually gone through the walk. The game kicked off at 2:30 p.m., a great win for the Cougars and we got back home around 8:00 p.m.
Here is the thing, and I realized it while it was happening, none of this was about me. It was about two men, I am honored to call them my sons, and making sure both of them knew that they mattered and that I would do anything to be there for them. Everything came together perfectly, I did not get tired, I was not grouchy...in fact, I wasn't thinking about me. I was only concerned about lifting my boys up. And I also have to testify to the power of prayer. I had several people, knowing of my journey, praying for me. I don't know how else to explain everything happening as it did other than to acknowledge that God's hand was on me.
I work with a lady who oversees a program to train doctors to be kind, compassionate and caring in their practice of medicine. Most of us have encountered a doctor who talked to us as though we did not really exist - that we were really just a sickness, a disease or an injury. They often talk in a language we do not understand, are abrupt and when they leave we are left with way more questions than answers. They seem to not see us or value us as people. As this incredible woman was telling me how this program came to be, she explained that she was working in neonatal intensive care and one day she had to disconnect 6 babies from life support. As her eyes glistened with tears at the memory she told me, "I thought, there has to be more to it than this."
I told her it was my perception that doctors delivered news they did not want to deliver, and patients certainly did not want to hear, in such an abrupt manner and then quickly walking away without showing any emotion is because it is a defense mechanism. She confirmed that my perception was right.
She then flipped the script. Instead of looking at it as something a doctor does not want to do, look at it as the honor & privilege it is. These people, the patients and their families, will never forget this day, this moment. The doctor then has a choice to realize it is not about them, it is about those they serve. They can follow the old routine of callous, seemingly uncaring - which it isn't really, they are just trying to protect their own hearts - or they can be kind, compassionate, living fully present in the moment, realizing that it isn't about them and serving others selflessly.
Several years ago, when I was a head football coach, I had two brothers that played on my team. They had a grandfather who they loved deeply who was in hospice care. Their parents had called and asked me if they could please call me when the grandfather passed away so I could deliver the news to their sons in person, so they would not be alone, so they would not have to hear the news over the phone. My first thought was, I don't want to do this! At that point in my life I used to say, "I am not good at that," referring to death. I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do and I definitely don't feel comfortable with it. Through a lot of prayer and reflection, years before meeting the wonderful doctor I referred to above, my Spirit convicted me with the fact that it is not about me! Novel concept! It is about these boys and their family. The realization hit that they would not forget that day. That it would be an honor & privilege to be with them during one of the darkest moments of their lives. That when they looked back at that moment they could feel deeply loved, they could experience deep compassion, if only I could get over myself. Praise God, that is what happened.
Several years ago there was a University of Louisville basketball player who suffered an absolutely horrific leg injury during an NCAA Tournament game. The stadium was packed and their was a national TV audience. Most everyone looked away, moved away from him - it was truly horrific to see. There was one player however that went to him. I don't recall either players name but I will never forget what the player who went to him said when asked after the game why he went to him while seemingly everyone else was so repulsed. He said, "I didn't want him to be alone." This remarkable young man got what most of us never do. It wasn't about him, his uneasy feelings, etc. It was about someone who was experiencing a horrible moment and making sure that he knew he was not alone.
And then, just yesterday, I heard the story about Alex Cora. He is the manager of the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. You know what this man did? During contract negotiations after being named manager last year, he asked for one thing; "He asked the team if they could provide a plane for relief efforts in his native Puerto Rico for those who were affected by Hurricane Maria back in September/October. For those who are unaware, Hurricane Maria was the worst natural disaster ever recorded in the history of Puerto Rico." (source is barstoolsports.com) So here is this man, this incredible man, who has just been named as a Major League Manager. He is negotiating his contract and he does not ask for more money, country club memberships, car allowances, or any of the other things that coaches often ask for. He asks the team to load a plane with supplies and send it to people who are suffering. Wow! If we are looking for someone to aspire to be like, might I suggest that Alex Cora would be a great one!
Do you want to tell someone they are dying or their loved one has died? Do you want to reach out to someone as soon as some tragedy has befallen them? Do you feel comfortable doing so? For the vast majority of us the answers would be no, no and heck no! Sweet Friends, it is not about you, or me. Please let that sink in for a moment. You don't have to know what to say or do...most of us don't. All you have to do is genuinely care and then act from that place. God, love, mercy and grace will then take care of the rest.
Of course I have to share some scriptures and quotes for you to consider.
"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." - Hebrews 6:10
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." - Galatians 5:13
"The greatest among you will be your servant." - Matthew 23:11
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:45
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:10
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." - Romans 12:9-13
"The measure of a man's greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves." - John Hagee
"Faithful servants never retire. You can retire from your career, but you will never retire from serving God." - Rick Warren
"The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?" - Martin Luther King Jr.
"Greatness lies, not in being strong but in the right using of strength." - Henry Ward Beecher
"You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving." - Amy Carmichael
"I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." - Henry Drummond
"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned." - Peter Marshall
I pray Dear Friends, that we will remember again and again, it's not about you, or me.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kevin
I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day is dawning on the Texas Gulf Coast! I am so excited for this day - I took the day off and I get to spend a special day with my Beautiful Bride! :)
I want to start off by sharing several short stories with you.
Last weekend was the Black & Gold World Series for Gehrig's baseball team at Tyler Junior College and Payton & the University of Houston Cougars were taking on the University of South Florida. So, how does a Dad be there for both of his sons? Let me break down what I did. I went to work and honored my commitments at a function we had over lunch. As soon as my commitments were fulfilled I hoped in my truck, went to the house, loaded up the truck for the trip to see Gehrig and took off. GoogleMaps was clutch! I was rerouted and rerouted and after a nearly 4 hour drive, 0 stops - had to monitor the sweet tea intake! :) - I arrived at the stadium exactly 10 minutes before the 1st pitch. The game then went 11 innings - wasn't counting on that! At a little before 11:00 p.m., Gehrig and I got to go out to dinner together. We had a great time, talking about life, school, baseball, etc. We unloaded the stuff from my truck into his and then I took off for the hotel and he went to his dorm. Sometime a little after midnight I checked into the hotel and took a quick nap. Up at 4:30 a.m. I was on the road a little before 5:00 a.m. Arrived back home around 8:45 a.m. and started helping Kath pack for our tailgate. At 10:00 a.m. we took off for the game. At exactly 12:30 p.m., we were standing outside TDECU Stadium to greet the Cougars as they arrived at the stadium for Cougar Walk - the first time Payton had actually gone through the walk. The game kicked off at 2:30 p.m., a great win for the Cougars and we got back home around 8:00 p.m.
Here is the thing, and I realized it while it was happening, none of this was about me. It was about two men, I am honored to call them my sons, and making sure both of them knew that they mattered and that I would do anything to be there for them. Everything came together perfectly, I did not get tired, I was not grouchy...in fact, I wasn't thinking about me. I was only concerned about lifting my boys up. And I also have to testify to the power of prayer. I had several people, knowing of my journey, praying for me. I don't know how else to explain everything happening as it did other than to acknowledge that God's hand was on me.
I work with a lady who oversees a program to train doctors to be kind, compassionate and caring in their practice of medicine. Most of us have encountered a doctor who talked to us as though we did not really exist - that we were really just a sickness, a disease or an injury. They often talk in a language we do not understand, are abrupt and when they leave we are left with way more questions than answers. They seem to not see us or value us as people. As this incredible woman was telling me how this program came to be, she explained that she was working in neonatal intensive care and one day she had to disconnect 6 babies from life support. As her eyes glistened with tears at the memory she told me, "I thought, there has to be more to it than this."
I told her it was my perception that doctors delivered news they did not want to deliver, and patients certainly did not want to hear, in such an abrupt manner and then quickly walking away without showing any emotion is because it is a defense mechanism. She confirmed that my perception was right.
She then flipped the script. Instead of looking at it as something a doctor does not want to do, look at it as the honor & privilege it is. These people, the patients and their families, will never forget this day, this moment. The doctor then has a choice to realize it is not about them, it is about those they serve. They can follow the old routine of callous, seemingly uncaring - which it isn't really, they are just trying to protect their own hearts - or they can be kind, compassionate, living fully present in the moment, realizing that it isn't about them and serving others selflessly.
Several years ago, when I was a head football coach, I had two brothers that played on my team. They had a grandfather who they loved deeply who was in hospice care. Their parents had called and asked me if they could please call me when the grandfather passed away so I could deliver the news to their sons in person, so they would not be alone, so they would not have to hear the news over the phone. My first thought was, I don't want to do this! At that point in my life I used to say, "I am not good at that," referring to death. I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do and I definitely don't feel comfortable with it. Through a lot of prayer and reflection, years before meeting the wonderful doctor I referred to above, my Spirit convicted me with the fact that it is not about me! Novel concept! It is about these boys and their family. The realization hit that they would not forget that day. That it would be an honor & privilege to be with them during one of the darkest moments of their lives. That when they looked back at that moment they could feel deeply loved, they could experience deep compassion, if only I could get over myself. Praise God, that is what happened.
Several years ago there was a University of Louisville basketball player who suffered an absolutely horrific leg injury during an NCAA Tournament game. The stadium was packed and their was a national TV audience. Most everyone looked away, moved away from him - it was truly horrific to see. There was one player however that went to him. I don't recall either players name but I will never forget what the player who went to him said when asked after the game why he went to him while seemingly everyone else was so repulsed. He said, "I didn't want him to be alone." This remarkable young man got what most of us never do. It wasn't about him, his uneasy feelings, etc. It was about someone who was experiencing a horrible moment and making sure that he knew he was not alone.
And then, just yesterday, I heard the story about Alex Cora. He is the manager of the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. You know what this man did? During contract negotiations after being named manager last year, he asked for one thing; "He asked the team if they could provide a plane for relief efforts in his native Puerto Rico for those who were affected by Hurricane Maria back in September/October. For those who are unaware, Hurricane Maria was the worst natural disaster ever recorded in the history of Puerto Rico." (source is barstoolsports.com) So here is this man, this incredible man, who has just been named as a Major League Manager. He is negotiating his contract and he does not ask for more money, country club memberships, car allowances, or any of the other things that coaches often ask for. He asks the team to load a plane with supplies and send it to people who are suffering. Wow! If we are looking for someone to aspire to be like, might I suggest that Alex Cora would be a great one!
Do you want to tell someone they are dying or their loved one has died? Do you want to reach out to someone as soon as some tragedy has befallen them? Do you feel comfortable doing so? For the vast majority of us the answers would be no, no and heck no! Sweet Friends, it is not about you, or me. Please let that sink in for a moment. You don't have to know what to say or do...most of us don't. All you have to do is genuinely care and then act from that place. God, love, mercy and grace will then take care of the rest.
Of course I have to share some scriptures and quotes for you to consider.
"God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." - Hebrews 6:10
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." - Galatians 5:13
"The greatest among you will be your servant." - Matthew 23:11
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:45
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:10
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." - Romans 12:9-13
"The measure of a man's greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves." - John Hagee
"Faithful servants never retire. You can retire from your career, but you will never retire from serving God." - Rick Warren
"The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?" - Martin Luther King Jr.
"Greatness lies, not in being strong but in the right using of strength." - Henry Ward Beecher
"You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving." - Amy Carmichael
"I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." - Henry Drummond
"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned." - Peter Marshall
I pray Dear Friends, that we will remember again and again, it's not about you, or me.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.
Kevin
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